


Parallel: From Another World

by bi_time_lord



Series: Parallel [1]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Doctor / OC, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Romance, Series/Season 2, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-13
Updated: 2018-11-07
Packaged: 2019-07-11 23:06:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 45,661
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15982415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bi_time_lord/pseuds/bi_time_lord
Summary: Rita Stone lives in our world. The world where a big blue box bigger on the inside is simply impossible. However, this all changes after what is most definitely an impossible event. Then again nothing is impossible with the Doctor.Follow Rita through time and space, learning about herself while struggling to comprehend her new life travelling with the Doctor and his companions.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I decided to delete what I had of this fic and re-upload it. I never had time to upload and didn't think it was fair. I've done a bit of editing of this as well and have decided to come back to it on AO3 and upload it now that I have everything prepared.

Starting at the light bulb in her kitchen she tapped her finger against her jeans, Rita was unsure how to tackle the light bulb that didn't seem to work anymore. She didn't want to physically attack it as such but she definitely needed to be able to reach and detach the bulb from the ceiling before replacing it with a new one. All while avoiding from electrocuting herself. There were two small issues in Rita's plan. She was insanely small for being nineteen years old. Just under five foot to be exact. Her apartment also had dodgy electricity that just loved to electrocute whoever came in its path.

Rita stared at the bulb as she hatched her plan, her main priority being that to not electrocute herself. That was the last thing she wanted to do. After a minute of an intense staring contest with the light bulb, Rita decided the best thing was to grow up (preferably in height) and replace the bulb. 

After she made her way through the sea of useless items she still held in her apartment after her foster mother's death. She searched the small room that was next to the kitchen, she found the small metal step ladder, which may not be able to allow her to change the bulb and get away harm free but it did set her at ease knowing that she now had an advantage: she could now actually reach the bulb.

Rita carefully began to unscrew the bulb before yelping in pain as she felt volts of electricity surge through her body before she completely lost her balance from her jump of fright.

She fell from the small step ladder and hit her head hard against the floor, her vision became blurry before it was replaced with nothing but pitch black as if it suddenly became night time. The only noise she could hear was the shattering of the bulb which had seemed to come loose from the circuit and smash into tiny pieces against the cold kitchen floor.

There was then silence as Rita became unconscious from the blow to her head.


	2. Rita Stone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel bad just leaving it at the prologue for today so here is the second chapter

"Is she going to be alright?" Rita heard the whisper of a female voice that she definitely recognised from somewhere as she slowly opened her eyes and a pain in her head began as if someone was playing a thousand drum beats into her ears. She opened her eyes slightly to see a blurred outline of what looked like a blonde woman girl who didn't look much older than herself peering over her body.

"Doctor she's awake!" Rita heard the voice of the women's London accent, not thinking much of it Rita's eyes adjusted to the light and her surroundings.

She attempted to sit up before being gently forced back down to the ground while she reached for her head and sighed, a frown forming on her face as she suddenly realised that she was no longer in the kitchen of her apartment or anywhere she actually recognised, the room she was currently in had a brown almost golden metal wall which for some reason slightly freaked her out.

"Hello?" The blonde girl asked as Rita stared at her very confused and shook her head not able to believe that Billie fricking Piper stood before her.

"Hello?" She repeated frowning a little as Rita ignored her continuing to look around the room before noticing David Tennant who was apparently dressed in the usual tenth Doctor's pinstripe suit walking over to her with the same expression on his face as Billie's.

"It's ok," he spoke calmly, "we found you lying here unconscious. I'm the Doctor and this is Rose."

Rita blinked for a few seconds before she started to laugh quietly causing 'the Doctor' to turn to 'Rose' as they both shared a concerned look with each other.

"I'm dreaming aren't I?" Rita looked up at them both before laughing again. "Someone, pinch me please," she spoke between her fits of laughter. Rose frowned a little before doing exactly that and pinching the girl causing a small yelp and the fits of laughter to cut out.

"I'm still asleep?" Rita cocked her head to the right and looked at 'the Doctor' "how?" she asked slightly frowning.

"This isn't a dream?" He also frowned confused at what the brunette meant. Rita scratched the side of her head while keeping herself leaning upright with her right arm. 

"I have to be dreaming, though?" she questioned as if she wasn't believing it was actually a dream herself. "I was changing the light bulb at home when- the light bulb!" Rita jumped up causing her dark brown hair to fly upwards then back down and rest itself by her shoulders showing the girls true medium length hair.

"I was in my apartment." Rita held her head which was slightly thumping due to the sudden outburst, her hazel eyes widened shifting from 'Rose' to 'the Doctor' "Where am I? How on Earth.." her voice trailed off as she spun around to see a giant window. Rita slowly walked towards the glass as if she was in a trance, 'the Doctor' and 'Rose' slowly followed cautiously behind her. "That's the Earth." she choked up a little before she turned back to 'the Doctor' "Where am I?" Rita spoke in a shaky cold voice. "Who are you," she asked before the man had time to answer her first question.

"My name is the Doctor" he calmly replied while slowly walking towards her, we're on a spaceship-"

"Alien spaceship?" Rita asked turning to 'Rose' watching the girl who was a little too quiet for her liking yet Rita also somehow trusted her a little more than the Doctor for some reason.

"Yes" 'Rose' nodded slowly before adding "He's telling the truth, his name is the Doctor, I'm Rose"

"But how?" Rita asked staring at the two as if they were both ghosts, unreal to her like a dream.

"How?" Rose questioned, "what do you mean how?"

"Never mind" Rita mumbled. "I guess I should play along since this is all a dream, weird how I haven't woken up yet." She thought while sighing.

"Sorry" she smiled pushing the questions digging into her brain to the back of her mind. "Where are my manners?" Rita smiled cheerfully like the past few moments never existed. "I'm Rita Stone."

Rose frowned at Rita but then deeply sighed and smiled warmly. "Nice to meet you, Rita, like I said before that's the Doctor," she pointed at the man in the pinstripe suit who was currently not paying attention as he walked around the room closely looking at every crack and cranny in the room like he was looking for a way out. "Doctor?" Rose chuckled a little getting his attention. The Time Lord turned towards Rose and Rita and smiled at them both, walking over and standing beside Rose. "This is Rita Stone," Rose told him while he nodded.

"Lovely to meet you Rita, now do you happen to know how you got here?" He raised a brow and then added: "I heard you said something about being in your apartment and then suddenly being here, remember anything in between then and now?"

Rita thought for a moment before shaking her head. "Nope" she sighed and looked down at the jeans and the comfy red vans she was wearing. "What happened?"

"We found you here, well I did," Rose grinned, "the Doctor was too busy trying to get out of this room, we got locked in" she sighed. "He didn't even notice you."

"Locked in?" Rita clearly was confused with what was going on, so many questions yet no answers. "How did you get locked in here?" she looked at the Doctor who was already at one of the walls of the room carefully observing them like they were going to attack at any moment.

"We were running" he spoke in a calm quiet voice not looking away from the wall.

"From what?" Rita questioned.

"The question is" the Doctor ignored her, turning around and walked towards Rita and then past her, he picked up a long brown coat off the floor and then reached into one of its pockets and picked out some black rimmed glasses before he placed them on his nose while walking back over to Rita and Rose. "Who are you?" he leant closer to Rita, the girl frowned and slowly backed away.

"I'm Rita" she continued to frown at him.

"I know that." he continued to look at her squinting his eyes. "I meant what are you?" He corrected himself and raised a brow as if it was a simple question.

"Human?" Rita replied still backing away from him. The frowning expressing on her face had turned into one very confused as if she didn't actually know what she was anymore.

"That sounded more like you were unsure" the Doctor announced and took his glasses off and placed them into the long brown coat that he was now wearing.

"You would be unsure if you were changing a light bulb and then randomly woke up on an alien ship," Rita said.

"Why are they not looking for us, Doctor?" Rose turned to the Doctor looking a little scared while he returned to the walls of the room not questioning Rita anymore.

"I don't know Rose" the Doctor sighed.

"What's looking for you?" She questioned before correcting herself. "Or should be?" She turned to Rose who followed the Doctor over to a wall of the room.

"Rita, have you ever heard of the Daleks?" He turned to her and then pressed his ear up against the wall.

"The Daleks?" Rita's voice slightly cracked as she couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Yeah" she muttered. "I know what they are" Rita looked down at the ground remembering scenes from the TV show she was now apparently a part of it even was a TV show anymore. She heard the screams of 'exterminate' and saw a scene from the 50th-anniversary episode. Gallifrey was burning, children crying as the Daleks screamed with no emotion or regret in their voices just anger and hatred as they showed no mercy firing and murdering innocent men, women and children.

The Doctor heard the worry in Rita's voice and slowly walked away from the wall towards her, he placed a hand on one of her shoulders. "I'm sorry Rita," he spoke, "whatever they did I'm so sorry." He looked into her hazel eyes which were fixed on the floor. Pity and sorrow were all she could see as she remembered the horrific scenes. TV or not this all looked very very real to Rita Stone.

"They didn't do anything to me." She sighed and finally looked up at him straight into his brown eyes, hers now filled with anger which he fully knew was not meant for him. "What they did to others is what I am angry about." Rita pursed her lips while her eyes burned up at the Doctor

"So this isn't a dream then?" He grinned lighting the mood a little.

"I guess I have no proof that I'm dreaming since Rose did pinch me and nothing happened" Rita shrugged looking over at the blonde who smiled. "I also guess this is a Dalek ship then" Rita looked up at the Doctor guessing and pursed her lips again.

"Yeah, they almost took the TARDIS, we only just managed to escape ourselves."

"Emergency Programme One," Rita mumbled.

"How do you know that?" The Doctor raised an eyebrow.

"Oh um." Rita mumbled and shrugged "I know some things about you both." She pointed at the Doctor and Rose. "You probably don't believe me though" She mumbled again.

The Doctor frowned and looked at Rita, trying to figure out what she meant by that comment until he turned his head to the left and heard a loud bang on the door making him push his questions to the back of his mind. He would talk to Rita alone about it later.

"Doctor?" Rose asked. "What was that?"

"I don't know" he answered, "let's not stay to find out," he ran to the opposite side of the room where the black metal doors were and started to sonic the door. "Deadlocked." He groaned.

"Why have a sonic if it doesn't do wood or deadlocked stuff?" Rose asked keeping her eyes on the door. Rita grinned at the blonde's comment.

The Doctor ignored her and continued to try and open the door while Rita stared at the door on the opposite side of the room frowning. There was another bang causing Rose to jump in fright. Rita slowly began to walk over to the door like she was in a trance.

"Rita?" Rose spoke, getting no reply. She continued to slowly walk to the door before seeing a keypad on the left-hand side next to the door.

"Doctor?" Rose spoke trying to get him to notice Rita slowly making her way to the door. Rose looked over at the Doctor for a second seeing him still fixated on opening the damn door before then switching her gaze back over to the brunette.

"Doctor" Rose repeated this time getting his attention.

"Rose what?- Rita!" He shouted noticing how close the brunette now was to the door he ran over and pulled her away from it by her arm taking her out of the trance she was in. "You ok?" He looked down at her, a serious expression on his face.

"Yeah" she muttered edging away from the door, she jumped when it made another loud bang.

"Come on then." He grabbed her arm and ran over to where Rose was standing by the door taking out his sonic and finally opening the door which was lucky as a moment later the door on the opposite side of the room opened showing a Dalek on the other side.

"Exterminate!" It screamed shooting right behind Rita which luckily missed thanks to the Doctor suddenly pulling her towards him. The Doctor then ran ahead of the two girls then locked the door after they ran through after him "Stay away from that door!" He swiftly turned around and pointed and then turned back around running away from the girls who moved away from the door panting from the running.

"Didn't expect it to be like this" Rita mumbled looking at the ground.

"Expect?" Rose questioned.

"Secrets" Rita mumbled not sure of what else to say, she then frowned. "That sounds like something I know someone else said once," the brunette thought aloud.

"You're mad." Rose laughed at the woman as she shook her head.

"And he's not?" Rita joked, raising her eyebrows as she looked over to where the Doctor was flashing his screwdriver at the door on the other side of the long hall.

"You have a point" Rose grinned before a frown began to form. "Who are you, Rita?"

"Apart from my name I don't know anymore." she shrugged.

"No family?" She raised a brow. "Friends? Where did you live?" Rose questioned.

"My family died," Rita spoke with no emotion. "Never properly knew my mum and dad, never knew if I had any aunts or uncles, not even a Gran. I have no family, just me."

"You're all alone" Rose mumbled.

"I know how you feel" the girls looked up to see the Doctor standing there with his hands in the pockets of his long brown coat.

Rita smiled slightly, not replying to the Doctor, she knew what he had been through, what he will go through and there was nothing she could do to change that. "I have some friends" Rita smiled sadly at Rose before saying: "They all have family's and other friends, though, sure they are there for me but not in the long run" Rita looked at Rose and saw the sadness in her eyes, Rita saw this look before from Rose somewhere.

"I'm sorry Rita, I shouldn't have asked" the blonde looked at the floor ashamed, Rita just gave a sad smile before looking up at the Doctor who gave her the exact same look Rose did moments before: sadness.

"Come on you two we best get out of here" the Doctor became his usual cheery self and smiled at the girls who both nodded at him.

"So what's the plan?" Rose asked as all walked down the hall in a line heading for the door.

"He doesn't have one" Rita chuckled.

"I do have a plan" the Doctor scoffed and rolled his eyes at Rita.

"What is it then?" Rita raised her eyebrows waiting.

"Ok I don't have have a plan," the Doctor rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, "but I do have an idea" he grinned at them both before opening the door which he soniced earlier during Rose and Rita's chat.

"Doctor!" Rose screamed noticing a Dalek only meters away.

"Oh hello," he grinned at the Dalek and then turned to the girls "run!" He shouted grabbing both of their hands and pulling them.

"Exterminate! Exterminate!" It screamed a moment after the Doctor pulled Rita and Rose behind a wall.

"What now?" Rose whispered in fear frantically looking around.

"Doctor" Rita mumbled staring at what couldn't possibly be the TARDIS

"What-" he turned to see the TARDIS and then grinned at Rita who then smiled back the Doctor took Rita and Rose's hands again and ran towards the TARDIS.

"What about the Daleks?" Rose asked while sprinting for the blue box.

"They pulled the TARDIS here, don't know why don't really want to know why since they insisted on killing us" he spoke before skidding to a stop and opening the TARDIS. The Doctor allowed Rose in first and then held the door open for Rita as well.

Upon entering the TARDIS it was everything Rita had dreamed of and hoped for when watching the show, much bigger than expected on the inside and definitely cooler.

After allowing Rita to look around and let it sink in the Doctor then spoke, "Welcome to-"

"The TARDIS" Rita beamed making the Doctor blink a few times slightly confused as to how she knew the TARDIS' name.

"How do you-" The Doctor was then cut off.

"I told you, I know parts of your life" Rita smiled slightly at the Doctor and then Rose who was leaning on the console. "Where I'm from" Rita started. "There is this show, very good show" she nodded to herself while the Doctor crossed his arms and leant on one of the beams closely listening to Rita "It's about your life" she pointed to the Doctor "Rose you're there too" she then pointed to the blonde.

"Doctor?" Rose frowned "What does Rita mean."

"But that's impossible" he mumbled. "A show about my life" his eyes then widened in horror. Rita then chuckled and rolled her eyes.

"It's the truth, I don't know how I got here, I remember nothing except being in my apartment changing the light bulb and then being in a Dalek ship" the girl sighed. "It's not even an episode" she mumbled.

"Maybe you forgot" Rose raised a brow and walked over to Rita.

"No that's impossible" Rita frowned. "I know every episode of this Doctor, everyone." Rita smiled proudly. The Doctor looked at Rita with confusion and wonder. Who are you Rita Stone? He thought to himself before moving from the beam to the console. Rose could tell that the Doctor was very confused about Rita almost as much as Rose was herself, the brunette seemed friendly but they had only just met her on a Dalek ship.

The Doctor then started to fiddle with the console. The TARDIS then started to dematerialise.

"Doctor I'm going to go to my room" Rose announced and then walked off towards a hall in the TARDIS. The Doctor could see what she was doing and nodded to her as she left the Doctor and Rita alone. Questions on both sides could now be answered.


	3. New Earth

The Doctor slowly walked around the TARDIS and fiddled with the console before leaning against it and frowning at Rita. _Who are you?_  He thought to himself as he watched her stare at the TARDIS in wonder like an innocent child the Doctor trusted her for some reason as if he actually knew her and he didn't know why. "Rita?" He spoke for the first time breaking the silence since Rose had left him to wonder about who she actually was.

"Yes, Doctor." She turned to him still standing near the doors of the TARDIS

"Who are you?" He frowned. "Not like who _are_ you because I know your name is Rita Stone and that your human, but  _who_  are you?" He questioned emphasising his words to make it clearer for her.

"What do you mean?" She frowned his words confusing her even more than before while walking up to the console.

"So Rose and I get dragged halfway across time and space into a Dalek ship, the TARDIS is almost stolen by the Daleks and then we find you, an innocent girl lying peacefully on the floor in the Dalek ship." The Doctor frowned not even believing the words himself. "You knew about the programme, how?"

"The TV show" Rita answered. "I don't know how I got here Doctor, I don't know how or why I am here but I am." Rita shrugged. Half satisfied with her answer, at least for now, the Doctor nodded. "Rose?" He called as he turned some knobs on the console and pressed some buttons before he saw the blonde poke her head in the console room. "Looks like Rita is going to be with us for a while." He said before glancing over at the brunette quickly adding. "If you want." 

Rita then broke out into a broad grin. The Doctor did the same then looked at Rose who smiled herself nodding. "Fine by me."

"After all that running and Daleks and stuff I'm so tired at the moment so if I am staying I guess I need somewhere to sleep." Rita yawned "No way am I sleeping on the floor" she joked.

"No you're not" the Doctor agreed. "The TARDIS made a room for you. Down that hall, first on the left" He pointed in a direction. "Should have everything you need. 

"I did always wonder how you lived in the TARDIS  she chuckled before nodding a thank you and walked away from the two feeling way too tired to continue on with the day.

\----------------------------------------------------------------

Rita had stayed with the Doctor and Rose in the TARDIS for about a week now, she had a few tests done on her due to the Doctor not understanding who she was or how she managed to get on the Dalek ship. It was mainly the Doctor wanting to make sure she was safe on board and that Rose was too. Rita explained as much as she could to the Doctor as well as told him what she deemed 'interesting' about her life as well as learned a little more about Rose in the process not even asking the Doctor about himself since she already knew far too much, more than what he would no doubt deem 'appropriate' so she kept quiet and actually enjoyed the company of the Time Lord and the other human far more than she expected. More than what she thought she would in dreams she had while she was younger. The Doctor didn't let her leave the TARDIS and wouldn't leave the TARDIS alone with her. After feeling satisfied with Rita Stone's health and safety as well as Rose's, his own and the TARDISes safety he decided that the test results were normal and that Rita wasn't anything but human. 

Finally, the adventures could begin.

\----------------------------------------------------------------

"So where are we going?" said Rose leaning against the TARDIS

"Further than we've ever gone before" the Doctor grinned at both Rita and Rose before flipping a switch hearing the TARDIS dematerialise in the sky. "And finally welcome aboard Miss Stone" the Doctor smirked as they all gripped onto the console travelling through the vortex.

\----------------------------------------------------------------

"Where are we," Rita asked stepping out of the TARDIS grinning madly as she then realised where she was watching the high tech cars fly in the sky.

"It's the year five billion and twenty-three." The Doctor spoke while stepping out of the TARDIS himself "We're in the galaxy M87, and this? This is New Earth."

Rose laughed "That's just. That's just" Rita then started to laugh along with Rose who was also speechless herself.   
"This is beautiful" Rita spoke between laughter.

"Not bad. Not bad at all." The Doctor smiled at them both and chuckled a little while they watched the cars fly over their heads towards New New York.

"That's amazing." Rose chuckled "I'll never get used to this. Never. The different ground beneath my feet," Rose then began to jump up and down "different sky. What's that smell?" She then stopped.

The Doctor and Rita sniffed the air "smells like" Rita frowned and sniff again "apples?"

"Apple grass" the Doctor states.

"Apple grass" Rose chuckled.

"Feels like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" Rita joked causing the Doctor and Rose to give out a small laugh.

"It's beautiful." Rose said in awe while Rita nodded in agreement "Oh, I love this. Can I just say, travelling with you, I love it." Rose smiled at the Doctor "all the planets I have seen, it's amazing, Rita you should have seen them" Rose turned to the brunette and smiled her eyes sparkling

\----------------------------------------------------------------

The Doctor and Rose were sat relaxing on his coat while Rita stayed with the TARDIS leaning against it, smiling and thinking to herself.

"So, the year five billion, the sun expands, the Earth gets roasted" The Doctor spoke watching the city in the distance.

"What a lovely thought" Rita joked as she joined the two, sitting on the grass and just enjoying the company of her two newest friends.

"That was our first date." Rose smiled turning to the Doctor.

"We had chips." The Doctor grinned "So anyway, the planet is gone, all rocks and dust," he explained "but the human race lives on, spread out across the stars." He turned between Rita and Rose "Soon as the Earth burns up, oh yeah, they get all nostalgic, big revival movement, but then find this place. Same size as the Earth, same air, same orbit. Lovely. Call goes out, the humans move in."

"So we just take the planet?" Rita asked.

"Pretty much"

"Sounds like us humans" Rose turned to Rita as they both laughed. "What's the city called?" She then asked.

"New New York."

"Would have thought they would have come up with a better name instead of just placing the same word twice" Rita laughed.

"Oh, come on." Rose rolled her eyes at the Doctor not believing him.

"It is." He turned to Rita to help who just shook her head at him. "It's the city of New New York. Strictly speaking, it's the fifteenth New York since the original, so that makes it New New New New New New New New New New New New New New York." Rita and Rose then both rolled their eyes and stood up. "What?"

"You're so different," They both said at the same time and then blinked at each other.

"New new Doctor" the Doctor piped up.

 _Technically it's new new new new new new new new new new Doctor_  Rita thought to herself and smile at her joke.

"What's so funny then?" The Doctor looked up and frowned at Rita.

"Thought of something funny"

"And what was that?" He raised a brow at Rita. Rose then did the same

"Never mind" Rita mumbled shaking her head.

"Can we go and visit New New York, so good they named it twice?"   
"Technically it's fifteen" Rita smiled smugly.

"Well, I thought we might go there first." The Doctor stood up as well and pointed to the skyscrapers in the distance.

"Why, what is it?" Rose turned to the Doctor.

"It's a hospital" Rita answered for the Doctor.

"Umm yeah," he nodded taken back by how Rita actually knew.

"You look confused Doctor" Rita teased knowing fully well that he had forgotten about her 'talent' which he claimed it to now be in his mind.

"Oh ha ha" he rolled his eyes remembering. "Anyways, Green moon on the side. That's the universal symbol for hospitals. I got this." He picked up his long coat and took the psychic paper out of a pocket "A message on the psychic paper."  
He showed Rita and Rose the psychic paper which wrote the words 'Ward 26 Please Come' "Someone wants to see me."

"And I thought we were just sight-seeing." Rose shook her head.

"Sight-seeing with the Doctor? Impossible it's like he has a device strapped to him alerting anyone nearly with the message: I like trouble!" Rita joked causing Rose to laugh and the Doctor to chuckle and shake his head.

"Come on, then. Let's go and buy some grapes. Rose also shook her head as the three headed off.

\----------------------------------------------------------------

"Bit rich coming from you." The trio walked into the Hospital.

"I have to side with Rose this time sorry Doctor" Rita patted his shoulder.

"I can't help it." He looked at both girls "I don't like hospitals. They give me the creeps."

"Says the guy who calls himself 'the Doctor' " Rita raised her eyebrows at him and slyly grinned.

"Rita has a point" Rose agreed.

A speaker then diverted the attention of the trio away from the subject of the Doctors name 'The Pleasure Gardens will now take visitors carrying green or blue identification cards for the next fifteen minutes. Visitors are reminded that cuttings from the gardens are not permitted.'

"Very smart." Rose nodded "Not exactly NHS."

"What's the NHS like for you then?" Rita asked.

"Different to this"

"Way different to mine" Rita chuckled.

"No shop. I like the little shop." The Doctor thought out loud.

"And there he goes about the shops" Rita rolled her eyes

"Hey" he pouted "Always good to have a little shop"

"If you say so" Rita rolled her eyes again.

"I thought this far in the future, they'd have cured everything." Rose frowned at the Doctor a little confused.

"Oh Rose" Rita patted the blonde's shoulder and smiled.

"The human race moves on, but so do the viruses. It's an ongoing war."

"Exactly" Rita grinned.

"You're enjoying this way too much Rita" the Doctor shook his head.

"I'm sorry Doctor," Rita said sarcastically. "When you suddenly are on your favourite TV show you get a little excited" Rita grinned.

"Oh, so I'm your favourite TV show?" He raised a brow placing his hands into his long coat pockets.

"Don't push it mister" Rita chuckled.

"They're cats." Rose watched in disbelief as one of the nurses walked passed.

"Now, don't stare. Think about what you look like to them, all pink and yellow." The Doctor watched as the nurse walked away.

"Nurse nun cats" Rita shook her head. "Never thought I would see or say that without making a reference"

"That's where I'd put the shop. Right there." He pointed to the corner of the Hospital entrance.

"You and your shops" Rita muttered as she followed the Doctor.

Rita then suddenly remembered and pretended to trip while pushing Rose and grabbing her phone out of her pocket as well as knocking her into the Doctor, who was currently standing in the lift.

Rita then pretended to run in after the Doctor and Rose, knowing fully well that she wouldn't be able to catch up in time.

"Oh, too late. We're going up." The Doctor shrugged.

"Rita!" The Doctor shouted, "watch out for the disinfectant."

"For the disinfectant" Rita mumbled along at the same time as he said it. "Yeah, yeah I know. That isn't the first priority Doctor" Rita rolled her eyes mumbling to herself

"I think she pushed me" Rose mumbled, frowning at the Doctor.

"Now why would she do that?" The Doctor frowned back. Rose shrugged unable to answer that question.

Rita then stepped into the 2nd lift and sighed knowing what was about to come. "Ward 26, though," Rita said not that it would actually take her there.

Rita then took off her black jacket which she was wearing and hung it up out of the way she also ripped her shoes off of her feet and placed them out the way as well a moment before the warning for the disinfectant through the lift speaker: "Commence stage one disinfection" That was lucky Rita thought. No way they were getting drenched dryer or not.

\----------------------------------------------------------------

The disinfectant had finally finished, Rita was just putting her shoes back on when the doors to the lift opened. "Here goes nothing" Rita sighed walking out the lift to see Chip standing waiting for Rose.

"The human child is clean." Chip smiled while Rita rolled her eyes. Well done, you know how the disinfectant works she thought and then rolled her eyes knowing it really wasn't Chips fault.

"Ward 26?" Rita questions and raised a brow while acting like she was confused.

"This way, Rose Tyler" Chip spoke and then turned around. Rita sighed. She knew she could possibly help the poor Cassandra and Chip but the plot had to continue, Rita could only alter so much. Nevertheless, she carefully followed Chip. Rita noticed the film from years and years ago back when Cassandra actually was a 'normal' person and not a piece of skin with a mouth and eyes on some metal poles.

\----------------------------------------------------------------

"Nice place." The Doctor looked around Ward 26 and then turned back to the nurse "No shop, downstairs. I'd have a shop. Not a big one. Just a shop, so people can shop." Rose rolled her eyes 'Rita was right about the Doctor and his bloody shops.' She thought. The nurse then slowly removed her veil.

The nurse then spoke, "The hospital is a place of healing." She then added in an offended tone "Not for... shopping"

The Doctor pursed his lips "A shop does some people the world of good. Not me. Other people."

"The Sisters of Plentitude take a lifelong vow to help and to mend" The nurse spoke while the trio slowly began to walk through the ward. The ward was mainly all white, there were a few more nurses standing around next to patients.

"Excuse me!" A woman spoke while the Doctor was looking at a patient who was a slightly overweight man with grey skin. "Members of the public may only gaze upon the Duke of Manhattan with written permission from the Senate of New New York." The woman huffed at the Doctor and Rose.

"That's Petrifold Regression, right?" The Doctor looked at the nurse and the woman while Rose frowned at the Doctor confused with what that actually meant.

"I'm dying, sir. A lifetime of charity and abstinence and it ends like this."

"I'm sorry" the Doctors face fell.

The woman then spoke once again and narrowed her eyes slightly at the Doctor and Rose. "Any statements made by the Duke of Manhattan may not be made public without official clearance."

The Doctor nodded in understanding. "Frau Clovis! I'm so weak." The Duke sighed and then coughed a little.

"Sister Jatt. A little privacy, please." The woman named Frau Clovis turned and rushed back, standing beside the Duke.

"He'll be up and about in no time." The nurse smiled at Rose and the Doctor.

"But he said he was dying?" Rose frowned.

"I doubt it. Sister Jatt," The Doctor looked at the nurse and continued to explain "Petrifold Regression?" The Doctor frowned "He's turning to stone. There won't be a cure for oh, a thousand years? He might be up and about, but only as a statue" The Doctor added.

"Have faith in the Sisterhood." Sister Jatt smiled and then frowned "But is there no one here you recognise? It's rather unusual to visit without knowing the patient."

"Yeah" Rose agreed with the cat. "How will we know who it is Doctor?" The blonde looked up and asked.

"I think we've found him." The Doctor turned to see a rather large face in a sort of tank in the corner of the machine. The face looked in pain yet peaceful and certainly old.

"Novice Hame, if I can leave this gentleman and his friend in your care?" Sister Jatt turned to another one of the cats.

"Certainly" Hame nodded. The cat walked over to where the Doctor and Rose were both standing just outside the Dukes closed curtain.

"Oh, I think our friend got lost. Rita Stone. Brunette and just a little shorter than Rose. Could you ask at, reception?" He described Rita, then smiled at Jatt and Rose.

"Certainly, sir." The cat nodded and then walked away while the Doctor and Rose followed Hame.

"I'm afraid the Face of Boe's asleep." Hame smiled sadly. "That's all he tends to do these days. Are you friends, or?"

"We met just the once on Platform One." The Doctor then added: "What's wrong with him?"

"I'm so sorry" Hame slowly shook her head. Rose turned to the Doctor with an unreadable expression.

"I thought you knew." She sighed. Rose slowly walked over and placed a hand on Hames' shoulder while sadly smiling at the nurse. "The Face of Boe is dying. " Hame looked at the Doctor and Rose.

"Why?" Rose asked before adding: "whats wrong with him?"

"He's dying of old age." Hame looked at The Face of Boe. "The one thing we can't cure." She sighed "He's thousands of years old. Some people say millions, although that's impossible." Hame chuckled slightly. Rose then smiled at the Doctor.

"Oh, I don't know." The Doctor also chuckled "I like impossible." He grinned at Rose, turned back towards The Face of Boe and then gently placed a hand on the tank "I'm here. So is Rose. I look a bit different, but it's me, It's the Doctor." He spoke gently as if he was a young child.

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"Peekaboo!" Rita turned and saw the flap of skin attached to the metal wire. "Wait a minute" her lips pursed. "You're not Rose Tyler?" Cassandra spat the blondes name.

"Oh my god" Rita faked a gasp and covered her mouth. "You have eyes!"

"Who are you child and how did you get here?"

"That's not important Cassandra, but if you must know. I used the lift" Rita made a smug grin.

"Hmm, I didn't see you with Rose" she sighed. "Guess you will have to do, though"

"Don't you even think about it Cassandra I know what you're planning" Rita raised her brows at the piece of stretched flesh.

"What do you think I'm going to do Flap you to death?" She joked.

"Didn't take you as the comedic type Cassandra, and no I know you have a psychograft which I know is illegal, you want me to back away to run to the cats and then you will get my body"

"How do you know that?" Cassandra blinked in disbelief.

"Secrets" Rita grinned. "Anyway it's not going to happen"

"Don't be so sure of that brunette," Cassandra said. "Chip now!" She shouted. at her forced grown clone.

Before Rita had time to react she was suddenly forced back by a strong push from the clone. She stumbled back and the psychograft was activated keeping her from moving. "Cassandra!" Rita shouted. "The Doctor can help you!"

"I don't need help honey" Cassandra laughed. "The lady's moving on. It's goodbye trampoline, and hello brunette."

Rita could then feel herself becoming trapped and squeezed inside her own head. Everything hurt and felt like she was being burnt alive for a few moments. She then became extremely claustrophobic.

"Mistress?" Chip slowly walked over to Rita's body which was now taken over by Cassandra.

"Moisturise me." 'Rita' said "How bizarre." She mumbled "Arms, fingers, hair! Let me see! Let me see!" She jumped up and down like an excited child while Chip brought over a mirror "Oh my God. I'm literally a child! A tiny small child. That's disgusting "

 _'Says the one who was a piece of skin from her butt and jumping up and down like it's bloody Christmas. Also, I'm 19!'_ Rita thought and mentally smacked the woman. 

"How the hell are you doing that?" Cassandra asked eyes wide in shock.

 _'I don't know, I just am'_  Rita snapped not liking the current arrangments.

"Hmm, Cassandra hummed looking at Rita's body in a mirror. "That's disgusting" she wrinkled Rita's nose and then took off the leather jacket and threw it on the floor.

 _'Hey, I actually liked that jacket!'_ Rita snapped at the woman who rolled her eyes.

"My body now, my rules" Cassandra snapped back while continuing to examine Rita's body. "Not the best but it will do" She sighed.

"The mistress is beautiful." Chip smiled at Cassandra.

"Absolutement! Oh, but look." Cassandra looked over to what was now just a metal frame and a dead brain.

"Oh, the brain lead expired. My old mistress is gone" He sighed again.

"But safe and sound in here" Cassandra grinned at Chip and tapped Rita's head.

"But what of the child's mind?" Chip tilted his head and frowned.

"Oh, tucked away." Cassandra slyly grinned." I can just about access the surface memory." She said making Rita groan and sigh while mentally rolling her eyes "She's. Gosh, she's with the Doctor. A man. He's the Doctor. The same Doctor with a new face. That hypocrite!" Cassandra gasped "Although I do have to say, nice rear bumper. Hmm." Cassandra grinned again and turned her head towards the brunettes rear end.

 _"Did I ever mention that you are disgusting"_  Rita thought and mentally groaned at the woman.

'Rita' then jumped almost out of her skin. well, Rita's skin as the phone Rita had stolen from Rose when pushing her into the lift started to ring. "Oh, it seems to be ringing. Is it meant to ring?" 'Rita' frowned looking at Chip for some help.

 _"No you idiot its meant to sing. Of course, its meant to ring!"_ Rita practically shouted at Cassandra and mentally facepalmed. She wasn't normally this angry and wouldn't usually result to calling people idiots unless for a joke but she was steaming right now Cassandra had just invaded her body and was attempting to show as much skin as she could which made Rita even angrier resulting in her becoming steaming.

"A primitive communications device." Chip informed 'Rita'

"Rita, where are you?" The Doctor spoke into a phone most likely at ward 26 with Rose now just after seeing The Face of Boe.

'Rita' Held the phone away and whispered to Chip: "How does she speak?"

"Try Old Earth Cockney" Chip smiled and nodded to 'Rita'

"Er, wotcha." Rita mentally groaned again.  _'That is nothing like how I speak, and I_ _technically do not live in London_ _!'_ Cassandra just ignored comment as if it was never given.

"Where've you been?" He asked and then added, "How long does it take to get to Ward 26?" He turned to Rose who then shrugged at him not knowing what to say.

"I'm on my way, governor." 'Rita' smirked enjoying this way too much. Rita just mentally rolled her eyes knowing that if she kept up the comments like she was then she would no longer have any energy left and no doubt get squashed to death by Cassandra invading her body and mind.

"You'll never guess. Rose and I are with the Face of Boe." The Doctor exclaimed practically beaming into the phone. "Anyway, I'd better go. We'll See you in a minute, Rita." The Doctor then hung up the phone.


	4. New Earth - Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back again for another chapter, thinking of making Tuesdays the day I update TPS because 'TPS Tuesdays' does have a nice ring to it, thoughts on this?

The Doctor placed the phone back down. "Somethings doesn't seem right with Rita" He mumbled looking at Rose and frowning trying to think. "I know we don't really know her yet but she definitely isn't acting like she was earlier" He sighed looking at Rose for her input.

"It's probably just being on a new planet" She rolled her eyes at the Doctor. "You always overthink things.

"Someone has to" He smirked and then walked away noticing the Duke looked much better.

"Didn't think I was going to make it." The Doctor heard the Duke speaking to Clovis. "It's that man again!" He beamed at the Doctor and then Rose "He's my good luck charm." The Duke patted Clovis' arm and then waved to the Doctor and Rose "Come in. Don't be shy."

"Any friendship expressed by the Duke of Manhattan does not constitute a form of legal contract," Clovis added, smiling to the Doctor and Rose clearly a lot happier that the Duke was somehow much better. 

"Winch me up. Up!" The Duke ordered Clovis and then smiled at the Doctor and Rose once again. While Clovis pressed a button on a remote causing his bed to slowly move upright. "Look at me. No sign of infection." He showed his arms to the Doctor and Rose who were both frowning rather confused.

"Champagne, sir? Ma, am?" 

"No, thanks" the Doctor replied as they both shook their heads at the waiter who had a few glasses of drinks on a tray. The Doctor then turned to the Duke and continued to frown once more.

"You had Petrifold Regression, right?" He asked looking at the Duke's arms and then the solution hooked up to the Duke.

"That being the operative word. Past tense. Completely cured." The Duke chuckled slightly at the Doctor and Rose.

"But that's impossible." The Doctor mumbled and turned to Rose wondering what she thought of the situation.

"I thought you liked impossible?" She crossed her arms, raised a brow and smirked. The Doctor then smirked back at Rose.

One of the cat nurses walked over "Primitive species would accuse us of magic, but it's merely the tender application of science."

"How on Earth did you cure him?" The Doctor turned around to face the nurse cat, with Rose just behind him.

"How on New Earth, you might say." The Nurse grinned ignoring his question.

"What's in that solution?" The Doctor moved his eyes back up to the solution still connected to the Duke and then back to the nurse waiting for an answer.

"A simple remedy" the nurse generalised her answer continuing to grin.

"Then tell me what it is." said the Doctor raised his eyebrows.

'"I'm sorry. Patient confidentiality." the nurse slightly narrowed her eyes "I don't believe we've met. My name is Matron Casp." Matron nodded slightly at the pair.

"I'm the Doctor and this is Rose" he smiled while Rose waved at the cat.

"I think you'll find that we're the doctors here," Matron said closely watching the Doctor and Rose.

Jatt poked her head between Matron and the Doctor "Matron Casp, you're needed in Intensive Care"

"If you would excuse me" Matron nodded to Rose and the Doctor, then turned walking away with Jatt as the Doctor watched the pair closely unable to hear what they were saying.

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"This Doctor man is dangerous" Chip had a concerned and worried expression on his face. He honestly cared for this woman so much. Rita felt sorry for him knowing the short life he had and what happens at the end of the episode.

"Dangerous and clever." Cassandra flipped Rita's hair and stood back up not taking her eyes off the mirror. "I might need a mind like his. The Sisterhood is up to something." she continued to mess with Rita's hair before turning to Chip "Remember that Old Earth saying, never trust a Nun? Never trust a Nurse. And never trust a cat." 

'Rita' then walked away from the mirror and towards Chip, placing out her hand "Perfume?" Chip handed her a small bottle without saying a word and tucked it in Rita's cleavage.  _'Watch it flappy'_  Rita snapped not as much as she would have if she wasn't getting mentally squished inside her own head. Cassandra ignored the girl turning and exiting the basement.

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The Doctor turns around after walking around all the hospital cubicles in ward 26 and spots 'Rita walking in "There you are." He smiles not noticing a single thing wrong. Rose then turned around and her eyes practically fell out her skull. Rita's top was revealing a little too much and her hair didn't look the way it did when the trio entered the hospital. "Come and look at this patient." The Doctor pulled 'Rita' over to a man and looked over to him while explaining. "Marconi's Disease. Should take years to recover. Two days. I've never seen anything like it." He then turned to Rose as well who was still staring at 'Rita' eyes wide. "They've invented a cell washing cascade. It's amazing. Their medical science is way advanced. And this one." The Doctor then walked over to another cubical. "Pallidome Pancrosis." The Doctor said to both the girls "Kills you in ten minutes, and he's fine." The Doctor waved to the man whose skin was the same as his hospital gown. Perfectly white. "I need to find a terminal. I've got to see how they do this. Because if they've got the best medicine in the world, then why is it such a secret?"

"I can't Adam and Eve it" 'Rita' spoke definitely not in her normal voice.

"What's," The Doctor frowned "what's. what's with the voice?"

"Oh, I don't know." 'Rita' spoke in the stupid voice again making the real Rita who was trapped inside her own head groan since that was all she could basically do at the moment due to feeling so tired "Just larking about. New Earth, new me." She finished.

"Well, I can talk. New New Doctor." He grinned. Rose watched the pair closely not really liking the way 'Rita' was reacting and acting. From as little as she knew (which really wasn't a lot since she had only met the girl) this was definitely not the way the girl 'normally' acted at all.

 _'Don't. You. Even. Dare. Do It. Cassandra.'_  Rita managed to gain the strength to actually think a few seconds before 'Rita' grabbed behind the Doctors head and pulled him in for a longingly deep kiss. Rita definitely did not enjoy this at all. Sure she literally adored the Doctor but that was when this was all just a TV show. Rita would have been just as shocked as Rose with her eyes wide and mouth gapped open if Cassandra controlling the now shaken girl's body and shoving her tongue down the poor invaded Doctors throat.

The Doctor had gone into a form of shock not moving or ripping Rita away from him. The man simply froze, powerless and not making any form of attempt to remove Rita's tongue which was now being controlled by Cassandra away from his mouth.

After a few more moments of Rose staring wide eyed in shock 'Rita' pulled away and breathed deeply blinking a few times as well as rubbing the back of her neck. "Terminal's this way. Phew." 'Rita' slowly walked away not looking back and walking past a still wide-eyed gaping Rose who just watched the girl pass and then turned to the Doctor her face still fixed in the same expression.

"we-" The Doctor stuttered "well" before rubbing the back of his own neck and looking at Rose who still had the same expression no doubt scared by what she had just witnessed. "We better go" The Doctor mumbled looking at the ground and following 'Rita' while the real Rita mentally groaned.

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"Nope, nothing odd." The Doctor frowned "Surgery, post-op, nano-dentistry. No sign of a shop. They should have a shop." He mumbled.

"Will you stop with the shop" Rose gritted her teeth and whispers to the Doctor just loud enough for only him to hear. "Honestly we have bigger problems" She used her head and jerked it in the direction of 'Rita' who was looking at the computer terminal too interested to be paying attention to the pair.

"I don't see anything wrong?" The Doctor whispers back raising a brow and watching 'Rita'

"Men" Rose mumbled rolling her eyes.

"It's missing something else." 'Rita' thought out loud and then turned to the Doctor ignoring Rose's presents "When I was downstairs, those Nurse Cat Nuns were talking about Intensive Care. Where is it?"

"You're right. Well done." The Doctor grinned.

"Why would they hide a whole department?" 'Rita' looked at the Doctor and asked, "It's got to be there somewhere." She thought for a moment "Search the sub-frame." 'Rita' basically ordered the Doctor. Rose rolled her eyes at the two clearly a little annoyed. Whether it was due to 'Rita' basically shoving Rose out and ignoring her or the kiss with the Doctor, Rose was angry. The real Rita was upset and genuinely sorry for the poor girl. She only hoped that the blonde wouls understand and forgive her later.

"What if the subframe's locked?" The Doctor turned to Rita and then Rose giving the girl a sad smile trying to indicate to the girl that he knew something was wrong and that they would get Rita back. However Rose didn't notice this at all.

"Try the installation protocol" 'Rita' ordered the Doctor yet again.

"Yeah. Of course." He nodded at Rita and then glanced at Rose who was closely watching her friend. "Sorry. Hold on." The Doctor brought out his Sonic Screwdriver from the inside of his long brown coat and proceeded to sonic the computer terminal. "Intensive Care." He mumbled and watched a large door to the side of the trio slide open. "Certainly looks intensive." He turned to the girls to follow then walked into the entrance.

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The trio walked down the stairs and entered a hallway with hundreds of human-sized green pods attached to the wall on the right. The wall curved. There was a railing on the left-hand side showing a hole which then showed millions of other pods below and opposite the three. "What are they?" Rose looked at the Doctor and asked.

"Some kind of pods" he stated the obvious and walked over to one of the green pods. The Doctor soniced the pod and slowly opened the door to reveal a man with boils and scars all over his body.

"That's disgusting." 'Rita' held a hand to her mouth gasping Rose looked over at the brunette wide-eyed and shocked not able to believe what she just said. 'Rita' quickly corrected herself noticing the blonde glancing at her. "What's wrong with him?"

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." The Doctor mumbled looking at the man with sympathy. He then closed the door and moved on to the next pod. Opening the door a young woman was inside in the exact same position as the man. Scars and boils all over her skin, her face looked tired and empty.

"Doctor what's wrong with him?" Rose looked at the woman who didn't actually look much older than she was, sadly knowing whatever was wrong with these people was definitely not good.

"What disease is that?" 'Rita' looked at the woman horrified and disgusted.

"All of them." The Doctor said coldly "Every single disease in the galaxy. They've been infected with everything."

"Oh my god" Rose gasped, clasping her hands over her mouth in shock.

"What about us? Are we safe?" Rose narrowed her eyes at 'Rita' annoyed with how much she was caring about only herself.

"The air's sterile." The Doctor looked around the pod for the final time. "Just don't touch them" he said and then closed the door sympathy for these people taking being the only expression on his face.

"How many patients are there?" 'Rita' questioned.

'All you care about is yourself Cassandra' Rita grumbled in a thought.

"Rita these people." Rose pointed to the pods. "I don't think their patiences"

"Rose is right" the Doctor nodded. "They're not patients"

"But they're sick?" 'Rita' counted frowning confused.

"They were born sick. They're meant to be sick. They exist to be sick." He looked at both Rita and Rose "Lab rats. No wonder the Sisters have got a cure for everything." The Doctor said though gritted teeth. "They've built the ultimate research laboratory. A human farm."

"Why don't they just die?" 'Rita' questioned as if their life was not worth living to possibly be saved.

"Rita!" Rose spat at the girl and crossed her arms.

"Plague carriers." He mumbled looking over at Rose who then uncrossed her arm and nodded at the Doctors silent message "The last to go"

"It's for the greater cause." The trio whipped their heads around to see the cat nurse Hame standing in the way of the exit.

"Novice Hame, When you took your vows, did you agree to this?" The Doctor stepped at little closer to the cat staring at her darkly.

"The Sisterhood has sworn to help." The cat denied agreeing or disagreeing with what these people were being created for.

"What, by killing?" Rose piped up also staring at the cat mostly in horror and being ashamed of the cat.

"But they're not real people," Hame spoke calmly as if what she was saying was actually true. "They're specially grown. They have no proper existence."The Doctor was now fuming, his brows fixed in a frown and his eyes burning with anger.

"What's the turnover, hmm?" He spoke darkly his voice getting louder with each question. "Thousand a day? Thousand the next? Thousand the next? How many thousands? For how many years?" He growled at the cat before shouting "How many!"

"Mankind needed us." The cat didn't look fazed by the Doctors shouting at all. "They came to this planet with so many illnesses." she looked between the three with slight pity "We couldn't cope. We did try." she nodded "We tried everything. We tried using clone meat and bio-cattle, but the results were too slow, so the Sisterhood grew its own flesh. That's all they are. Flesh."

"But there not just flesh!" Rose started to sob the Doctor looked at the girl sadly and placed an arm over her shoulder in comfort. 

"These people are alive." The Doctor looked up from Rose with sadness and sorrow, he turned to Hame his face changing into his brows being drawn and his brown eyes full of sadness changed into eyes of anger.

"But think of those Humans out there, healthy and happy, because of us." Hame tried to convince the Doctor but he wasn't budging to feel sorry for the cat for all what it has done day by day for goodness knows how many years.

He looked down at Rose who was still now sobbing quietly turned to him not being able to face the cat nurse for what she had let been done. "If they live because of this, then life is worthless." he said turning to 'Rita' who didn't look fazed by the subject at hand at all.

"But who are you to decide that?" Hame asked.

"I'm the Doctor." he gently dropped his arm off of Rose who was now just sniffling every once in a while. "And if you don't like it," he stepped closer to Hame "if you want to take it to a higher authority, then there isn't one. It stops with me." he warned the cat piercing his eyes into hers showing the true anger he was currently feeling.

"Just to confirm." 'Rita' popped up behind Rose 'Ughhhh' Rita thought not able to really say much else. "None of the humans in the city actually know about this?" she asked. Rose then turned around her hands becoming balls of fists the Doctor walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder to calm her down.

"Now Hold on." he turned back to Hame "I can understand the bodies. I can understand your vows." he continued to walk towards the cat. "One thing I can't understand. What have you done to Rita?" he pointed at the brunette.

"I don't know what you mean?" Hame tilted her head and stared at 'Rita' who was looking at the Doctor just as confused.

"And I'm being very, very calm." he spoke through gritted teeth "You want to be aware of that. Very, very calm. And the only reason I'm being so very, very calm is that the brain is a delicate thing." the Doctor raised his eyebrows and continued to talk through the grit of his own teeth "Whatever you've done to Rita's head, I want it reversed."

"We haven't done anything." Hame denied all knowledge of this.

"Doctor I think she's telling the truth." Rose defended the cat who then looked at her and sighed. "This doesn't mean I'm not upset" Rose added.

"I'm perfectly fine." 'Rita' slowly walked up to the Doctor and placed a hand on his chest next to his tie.

"These people are dying, and I know Rita would care." He frowned looking down at what 'Rita' was doing while being slightly uncomfortable by the closeness. 

"Oh, all right, clever clogs." 'Rita' pulled out his tie the Doctor frowned and leant away slightly "Smarty pants. Lady-killer." she then purred.

"What's happened to you?" The Doctor leant away some more looking Rita up and down, his tie still in her grasp

'Rita' then sighed. "I knew something was going on in this hospital, but I needed her body" she pointed to Rose "and your mind to find it out. But since this girl obviously knows you her body will have to do. Must better than Rose" 'Rita' then pointed to the blonde who rolled her eyes.

"Who are you?" He frowned still confused.

'Rita' let do of the man's tie and leant next to his ear and whispered: "The last human."

"Cassandra?" He stepped away yet again.

"Wake up and smell the perfume." She grinned ditching the terrible accent and taking the small bottle out of Rita's cleavage and spraying it at the Doctor and then swiftly turning to Rose and spraying it at her.

"You've hurt them." Hame gasped "I don't understand. I'll have to fetch Matron."

"You do that," 'Rita' ordered turning to the cat "because I want to see her." She chuckled "Now, run along." She watched the cat scurry away "Sound the alarm!" She shouted turning to a bunch of power cables, messing with them activating the alarms.


	5. New Earth - Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry if any of these chapters have spelling/grammar mistakes. A lost of these are written at 2 am and edited by myself where I obviously make a few errors, I'm trying to get better but obviously one or two will slip through from time to time.

The Doctor started coming to after being knocked out by Cassandra in Rita's body. His vision was a little blurry for a few moments but he was ok. Then he noticed where he was. "Let us out! Let us out" He started to bang on the inside of the green pod door.

"Aren't you two lucky there was two spare? Standing room only" The Doctor could just about see the outline of Rita's body outside of the pod.

"Doctor!" Rose screamed she must have woken up.

"You've stolen Rita's body." The Doctor stated.

"Over the years, I've thought of a thousand ways to kill you, Doctor." Cassandra laughed a little "And now, that's exactly what I've got. One thousand diseases. They pump the patients with a top-up every ten minutes." She looked at her wrist pretending there was a watch there. "You've got about three minutes left. Enjoy."

"Just let Rose and Rita go, Cassandra." "Rose? ha no, the brunette I will." Cassandra laughed "As soon as I've found someone less common, then I'll junk her with the waste. Now hushaby. It's showtime." Cassandra then walked away from the pod slowly disfiguring Rita's shape.

"Anything we can do to help?" Jatt and Matron walked down the walk way.

"Straight to the point, Whiskers." Cassandra mocked the cats "I want money."

"The Sisterhood is a charity. We don't give money. We only accept." Casp explained to Cassandra who proceeded to roll her eyes quite bored of the cats.

"The humans across the water pay you a fortune, and that's exactly what I need." Cassandra crossed her arms "A one-off payment, that's all I want." she then thought for a moment "Oh, and perhaps a yacht. In return for which, I shall tell the city nothing of your institutional murder." Rita mentally slapped the woman for her uncaring nature. She knew that Cassandra definitely had a heart somewhere (even if it was no longer her original heart) but the woman had to find it herself which annoyed Rita as she wanted to help but was unable to do so with the amount of energy she had left as well as knowing that the 'episode' had to continue as normal "Is that a deal?" Cassandra asked the cats. 

  "I'm afraid not."  Casp declined the offer like Rita knew she would even without watching the episode no one would be silly enough to fall for that sort of a plan. 

"I'll tell them," Cassandra threatened. "and you've no way of stopping me. You're not exactly Nuns with Guns." 'Big mistake'  Rita thought managing to gain some strength "You're not even armed." Cassandra scoffed ignored Rita's comment.

"Who needs arms when we have claws?" Matron unleashed her claws making Cassandra panic darting her eyes around the area before turning to Chip

"Well, nice try. Chip? Plan B" Chip then pulled a lever opening all of the pod doors on that level including the Doctor and Rose.

The Doctor jumps out of his pod and then helps Rose and next turning to Cassandra "What've you done?" 

"Gave the system a shot of adrenaline, just to wake them up." Cassandra turned and ran in the opposite direction "See you!"

The Doctor turned back to the cats, he pointed and shouted: "Don't touch them! Whatever you do, don't touch!" he then grabbed Rose's hand and Chased after Cassandra and Chip.

The Doctor and Rose follow Cassandra and Chip down the hall until hearing a scream and the doors on every single one of the other pods opening allowing all the people to roam free.

   "Oh, my God." Cassandra gasped skidding to a stop just as the Doctor and Rose caught up.

"What the hell have you done?!" He shouted at her scanning the area for an escape.

"It wasn't me!" Cassandra cried out in panic as the people carrying every disease ever slowly walked closer and closer.

"One touch and you get every disease in the world, and I want that body safe, Cassandra." The Doctor shouted and then noticed the path to the stairs were free he grabbed Rose's hand again "We've got to go down!" He shouted at her while running over to the stairs.

"But there's thousands of them!" She cried out yet again.

"Run!" He ordered Cassandra and Chip down and then running down with Rose. "Down! Down! Go down!" The Doctor, Rose, Cassandra and Chip all ran down the stairs while the infected people followed. "

"Repeat, this building is under quarantine. No one may leave the premises. Repeat, no one may leave the premises" A voice though the speaker informed everyone while the group continued heading down the stairs.

"Keep going! Go down!" The Doctor told Cassandra and Chip knowing that Rose would most likely not object.

The group continue to travel down the stairs, the Doctor and Rose only a few stairs behind Cassandra and Chip.  Cassandra then noticed a lift and started to run for it "No, the lifts have closed down." The Doctor stopped "That's the quarantine. Nothing's moving."

Cassandra frantically looked around trying to see another way hearing the people closely behind her.  "This way!" She shouts pointing to the direction of what was her lair and then heading for it Cassandra ran ahead of the others only really caring about herself. The Doctor turns around to see Chip had stopped and started to panic as the infected people approach cutting off the exits and leaving him trapped 

"Someone will touch him." The Doctor shouts as Cassandra continued to run.

"Leave him!" Cassandra shouted over her shoulder causing Rose to gasp in horror at how rude the woman was being "He's just a clone thing." She rolled her eyes at the blonde and then added: "He's only got a half life. Come on!" She ordered the pair to follow.

Chip slowly backed away and begged Cassandra "Mistress!" his face drained of colour as he watched the woman run in the opposite direction.

"I'm sorry," The Doctor reaches out an arm unable to help while Rose looked at the man with the pity Cassandra never had "We can't let her escape." She added her eyes watering with tears. Chip never deserved this even if he did help Cassandra take Rita's body he didn't deserve death. The pair turned and ran after Cassandra hearing Chips cries begging for his Mistress behind them.

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The trio ran through an arch and entered Cassandra's lair the Doctor shutting the open door behind him. Cassandra headed straight for the back door not looking back at the pair or mourning after what definitely looked like Chips death.  "We're trapped!" Cassandra gasped leaning against the back door that held some of the many infected humans behind it. "What am I going to do?!" She cried out. 'Always about yourself isn't it Cassandra?'

"I have had enough of you and you comments kid!" Cassandra shouted like a psycho. The Doctor and Rose frowned at the woman's screams. "All you do is comment about everything 'Cassandra you're so rude, 'Cassanda you're disgusting'" She huffed, the Doctor and Rose stared at her looking very confused.

"Rita?" Rose questioned in disbelieve stepping closer to the brunette.

"God she's so annoying, I have better things to worry about like getting the hell out of here" Cassandra rolled her eyes. Rita grinned or would have if she wasn't trapped in her own mind.

"Well, for starters," The Doctor stepped towards the woman and stood next to Rose "you're going to leave that body." he said darkly then pointed his sonic "That psychograft is banned on every civilised planet." He shouted, "You're compressing Rita to death." He shot daggers at the woman with his eyes.

"But I've got nowhere to go." Cassandra countered "My original skin's dead."

"Not my problem." The Doctor said sharply "You can float as atoms in the air. Now, get out." He ordered before pointing his sonic screwdriver at Rita's body threatening and then darkly said: "Give her back to me."

"You asked for it." Cassandra rolled her eyes before breathing heavily and leaving Rita's body. Rose ran up to the brunette and caught her before she could fall to the floor.

"Oh god" Rita groaned holding her head to try and stop the agonising pain burning her.

"Where did she go?" Rose frowned helping Rita stand up.

"Take a guess" Rita rolled her eyes, pointing at the Doctor while getting pissed off at Cassandra.

"Oh, my." Cassandra who was in the Doctors body gasped "This is different." She looked down at the body she was occupying.

"Cassandra?" Rose frowned, narrowing her eyes.

"Goodness me, I'm a man." She ignored Rose, Rita rolled her eyes and tried to hold the smile slowly forming on her lips, even when her life was at risk and the Doctor was trapped inside his own mind she could not find this pretty entertaining "Yum. So many parts." Cassandra grinned at the pair before her "And hardly used." She raised her eyes up and down at them both making the pair wrinkle their noses  "Oh, oh, two hearts!" Cassandra then gasped making the stupidest movement ever "Oh, baby, I'm beating out a samba!"  

"You have had your fun now Cassandra, now leave him alone." Rita hissed at the woman having enough of her childish behaviour.

"Oo, he's slim," Cassandra looked down at the Doctors body slowly moving a hand down his side "and a little bit foxy." She grinned and raised her eyebrows up and down at the pair yet again. "You've thought so too." She began to walk over to Rita who proceeded to roll her eyes denying it all and not showing any emotion, Rose looked at the brunette trying not to laugh "I've been inside your head." Cassandra mocked "You've been looking. You like it."

"That's enough Cassandra" Rita growled at how stupid the woman was making her look. Rose would not let her live this down. Suddenly before Rose or Cassandra could make any comments the back door burst open allowing all of the infected people to walk right in.

"What do we do?" She looked at the pair wide-eyed in panic then proceeded to wack Rose's arm "What would he do?" She looked between the pair "The Doctor, what the hell would he do?" She screamed.

"Ladder, come on!" Rita ordered grabbing Rose's hand and headed for the ladder.

"Out the way! Blondie," She shoved Rose to the side "And you! Brunette" Rita groaned also being shoved to the side she rolled her eyes and thought: At least she wouldn't get him killed now Rita then let Rose head up the ladder next.

"Please, help us. Help." Rita could hear the begging of the people below who had begun to slowly climb the ladder chasing the trio.

"If you get out of the Doctor's body, he can think of something." Rose continued the conversation after the outburst of infected people earlier.

"Yap, yap, yap. Just like that one" Cassandra pointed to Rita who groaned at her "God, it was tedious inside your head. Complaint city."

"Maybe you should just leave me and my friends alone then!" Rita shouted, Cassandra looked at the brunette in horror which made Rita feel guilty, she knew what Cassandra would do in the end and also felt bad because it felt like she was shouting at the Doctor and not Cassandra. "Sorry" she mumbled " But we're going to die if-" Rita jerked her head down to see Matron the nurse cat clawing at her red vans.

"Those were my favourite!" Rita shouted down at the cat. "Get off!"

"All our good work." Matron spat  "All that healing. The good name of the Sisterhood. You have destroyed everything."

"It was never just healing Matron!" Rose shouted. "You created people to use as lab rats and then killed them!"

"Go and play with a ball of string," Cassandra added mocking Matron.

"Everywhere, disease." Matron argued ignoring Cassandra "This is the human world. Sickness!"

"Matron!" Rita gasped as one of the infected people reached up and grabbed Matron causing her entire body to suddenly burst out with boils. Matron screamed out and let go of the ladder as well as Rita crying out in pain, falling to her certain death.

"Move!" Rita shouted up at Cassandra darkly causing the woman to jump a little and scurry up the ladder. Rose looked down at Rita for a second her face soft and saddened Rita nodded up at Rose telling her she was ok before the pair climbed up after Cassandra. Just before the trio reached the exit they heard a voice on the speakers:  _Maximum quarantine. Divert all shuttles._

"Damn it" Rita mumbled thinking to herself on what was going to happen next.

"Now what do we do?" Cassandra looked down at them both, still inside the Doctors body.

"You have to get out of him Cassandra, it's the only way," Rose told the woman.

"No way, I'm not going back in her, Complaint city" She gestured to Rita who groaned. 

"Cassandra its either that or you open it with the Sonic Screwdriver and I don't see you figuring how to do that!" Rita spat up at the woman.

"You mean this thing?" Cassandra scrunched her face up and held the screwdriver as if it was a dirty sock.

"Yes she means that thing!" Rose shouted up.

"That Doctor's hidden away all his thoughts." Cassandra moaned "I have no idea what to do"

"I told you that you wouldn't know. Why does no one ever listen!" Rita grumbled. "You have to go back into me Cassandra the Doctor can open it. Do it!" Rita ordered.

"Hold on tight." Cassandra groaned. Rita braced herself and surely enough she began to feel compressed in her own mind yet again.

"I'm a kid yet again." Cassandra moaned

'I'm 19!' 

"Yes, yes whatever" Cassandra waved Rita off "Now open it!" She looked up at the Doctor who was groaning and just getting used to being back in himself like normal. 

"Not until you get out of her." The Doctor narrowed his eyes at her.

"We need the Doctor." Cassandra protested against him.

"I order you to leave her" He commanded

Cassandra breathed in and then entered the Doctors body yet again.   
  


"Cassandra!" Rita shouted.

"No matter how difficult the situation, there is no need to shout." Cassandra rolled her eyes. 

"Get out of him Cassandra only he can help!" Rose ignored her shouting up at the woman.

"But I can't go into her, he simply refuses, he isn't going to budge if I try you either" She gestured to Rose "He's so rude." She mumbled.

"Tell me about it" Rita muttered, "But that isn't the point!" Rita glared. "Get out of him! I don't care what you do, just do something!" 

"Oh, I am so going to regret this" Cassandra had a disgusted look on her face. She then breathed out giving the Doctor his mind back for the last time and then entered the leading infected woman on the ladder.

"Oh, sweet lord." Cassandra gasped "I look disgusting!" She screamed in horror.

"Doctor now!" Rita shouted up, he nodded and soniced the lift door allowing them to exit. The Doctor climbed out and then helped Rose up and then turned to Rita who had just about got herself out, the Doctor grabbed her hand and helped her.

"Nice to have you back" He smiled at Rita.

"No, you don't," Cassandra muttered switching out of the woman and back into the brunette who then felt to the floor.

"That was your last warning, Cassandra!" The Doctor stared at her annoyed and angry at the selfish woman.

Cassandra ignored his warning and began to mumble. "Inside her head. They're so alone. They keep reaching out, just to hold us. All their lives and they've never been touched." She looked up at the Doctor and then looked at Rose guilt plastering her face. The Doctor offers her a hand not commenting on what she had just said, she accepted the hand and the trio started to walk through Ward 26.

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"We're safe! We're safe! We're safe! We're clean! We're clean! Look, look." The Doctor and Rose show there hands to Clovis who had charged at the trio with a metal stand ready to defend herself.

"Show me your skin!" She ordered. Cassandra grinned and took the opportunity to show every inch of skin possible that was deemed 'appropriate'. 

 "Look, clean. Look," The Doctor spoke and Rose showed her arms again "if we'd been touched, we'd be dead." The Doctor informed her. Clovis lowered the metal stand and breathed a deep sigh of relief. "So how's it going up here?" he asked. "What's the status?"

"There's nothing but silence from the other wards, "Clovis told the three as they started to walk. "I think we're the only ones left. And I've been trying to override the quarantine." Rose and the Doctor frowned at that.

'No you can't!' Rita thought with the little amount of energy she now had remaining.

"ooh, she doesn't like the sound of that" Cassandra shook Rita's head and tutted.

Clovis looked at the brunette confused at what she was babbling on about before continuing: "If I can trip a signal over to New New York, they can send a private executive squad."  

"Rita's right,  you can't do that." Rose nodded in agreement. "If they forced entry, they'd break quarantine."

"I am not dying in here," Clovis told them firmly

Neither of us will" Rose told her.

"We can't let a single particle of disease get out. There are ten million people in that city." The Doctor pointed in the direction of what he guessed was New New York. "They'd all be at risk. Now, turn that off!" He ordered Clovis

"Not if it gets me out." Clovis looked at the Doctor seriously.

"All right, fine." He turned around "So I have to stop you lot as well. Suits me." He then turned to the rest of those in the ward "Rose, novice Hame, Rita, everyone! Excuse me, your Grace." He nodded at the Duke "Get me intravenous solutions for every single disease. Move it!" The Doctor ordered everyone while he himself colected up a long piece of what looked like heavy silk, attaching it to his body he then instructed the others to hand over the solutions and then begins to attach them to his body.

"How's that? Will that do?" The Doctor thought out loud.

"I don't know. Will it do for what?" Cassandra asked as the Doctor starts to walk away, she and Rose follow him over to one of the lifts which he soniced and the lift doors open he pokes his head out and looks down.

"The lifts aren't working," Cassandra stated the obvious while the Doctor was messing with the lift.

"Not moving. Different thing." He pointed out and then walks away from the lift "Rose stay here and make sure nothing gets in or out." The Doctor passed Rose who looks over at him and nodded, watching what he is about to do.

"But you're not going to-" Cassandra begins to ask before getting shocked by the Doctors actions.

"Here we go." He mumbles to himself and then turned around facing the lift head on before placing his sonic screwdriver between his teeth and running at full speed, launching himself, grabbing the lift cable and making sure he was secured so he would not fall.     

"What do you think you're doing?!" Cassandra asked in shock running over to him Rose doesn't seem fazed by this at all and just grins, Cassandra then looks over at her grinning.

He removed the screwdriver from between his teeth to speak while attaching something to the cable "I'm going down! Come on!"

"Not in a million years! She protested "Plus why can't blondie?!" 

"Rose" He corrected Cassandra "needs to stay up here and make sure these lot." He gestured to everyone in the ward "stay in and not try to leave or let anything in and I cannot trust you, Cassandra, no way are you leaving my sight in my friend's body, plus" he added again.  "If you're so desperate to stay alive, why don't you live a little? " He finished his speech and raises his brows at her.

"Seal the door!" Cassandra and Rose heard Clovis speaking. Rose then rushed over to help and Cassandra saw the horror of the infected people again, knowing she would most likely be safer with the Doctor she jumped grabbing on to the Doctor to stop her falling to her death.

"You're completely mad." Cassandra gasped looking down wide-eyed  "I can see why she likes you." She mumbled.

The Doctor ignored her comment and exclaimed: "Going down!" He allowed the wheel attached to the cables of the lift to drop down the shaft. Cassandra screamed in terror and the Doctor then screamed in joy clearly full of adrenaline.

"Well, that's one way to lose weight." Cassandra pointed out. "If she even had some" She looked down at Rita's body. "God she's almost as skinny as you" She raised her brows and chuckled at her own comment a little.

The Doctor ignored this and told the woman what she had to do. "Now, listen. When I say so, take hold of that lever." He pointed to the lever on top of the lift they had landed on.

"There's still a quarantine down there, we can't-" Cassandra began to speak before getting interrupted.

"Hold that lever! I'm cooking up a cocktail." The Doctor started to rip open the solution packets and pour the liquid in the lifts disinfectant tank. "I know a bit about medicine myself." he continued to pour all of the remaining liquid solutions in the tank. " Now, that lever's going to resist." He poured the final packet "But keep it in position. Hold onto it with everything you've got."

"What about you?" Cassandra asked holding the lever ready for the command. The Doctor then soniced the lift until the window about it opened allowing access. 

"I've got an appointment." he then jumped in. "The Doctor is in." He soniced the lift door and it then opened allowing some of the infected people outside to notice and begin to head his way. "I'm in here! Come on!" He announced allowing all of them to now notice him in the lift.

"Don't tell them!" Cassandra hiss at him through the gap of the lift.

 "Pull that lever!" He ordered. Cassandra followed his order and pulled on the lever with all of her strength. 

"Come and get me. Come on" He encouraged them all

  _Commence stage one disinfection._  

The Doctor grinned "Hurry up! Come on!" he said as all of the solutions mixed with the disinfectant began to pour on him. "Come on, come on."  The first few people now entering the lift. The solution started to clear and cure them of all of the diseases they had being given by the Sisterhood. The now cured people then exit the lift. "All they want to do is pass it on." He started to jump up and down in joy "Pass it on!"

"Pass on what?" Cassandra asked, still holding the lever in place "Pass on what?"

"Pass it on!" The Doctor repeated continuing to jump up and down.

 "What did they pass on?" Cassandra repeated for the third time "Did you kill them?" She asked. 'No'  Rita thought unable to communicate any longer knowing that she was most likely close to dying now not being able to take being trapped in her own head any longer than a few more minutes. 

"No." He helped Cassandra down from the lift shaft "That's your way of doing things." He walked out the lift and smiled at what he had just done, curing and helping all of these people who were once trapped like rats in a lab.

"I'm the Doctor, and I cured them." A young woman walks up and then hugs the Doctor. "That's right." He cooed "Hey, there we go, sweetheart." The Doctor then pointed at a man "Go to him. Go on, that's it." He encouraged the woman over to the man softly "That's it. It's a new sub-species, Cassandra. A brand new form of life. New humans!" He beamed ecstatic "Look at them. Look! Grown by cats, kept in the dark, fed by tubes, but completely, completely alive." He burned with happiness for these people "You can't deny them because you helped create them. The human race just keeps on going, keeps on changing. Life will out! Ha!" He watched the new humans help one another.      

    ----------------------------------------------------------------   

The Doctor and Cassandra still in Rita's body walk through the empty ward trying to find Rose.' _Rita'_ the brunette heard a soft calm voice that definitely wasn't Cassandra in her head.  _'It's ok she can't hear me neither can the Doctor, only you, I'm giving you longer to manage with Cassandra in your head so you can speak to me and survive this'_

 _'Jack?'_ Rita thought. _'Thank you'_

_'It's been a long time my friend you look so young'_

_'And you so old'_ Rita mentally sighed wishing she had her own body back so she didn't have to worry about Cassandra hearing what she or Jack was saying even when she knew that the woman couldn't.

"The Face of Boe!" The Doctor interrupted the girls thought spotting the face in the ward with Rose by his side. "You were supposed to be dying." He placed a hand on the tank and then looked at Rose who nodded telling him she was fine.

 _'There are better things to do today. Dying can wait.'_    Boe spoke to trios minds.

"Oh, I hate telepathy. Just what I need, a head full of big face."

_'I have grown tired with the universe, Doctor, but you have taught me to look at it anew.'_

"There are legends, you know, saying that you're millions of years old." He smiled at Boe.

 _'There are? That would be impossible.'_ The Face of Boe spoke as if it was something he didn't already know.

"Wouldn't it just." The Doctor looked up at The Face of Boe knowing that these legends could possibly be true. "I got the impression there was something you wanted to tell me."

_'Not just you Doctor, but it is a great secret'_

"So the legend says." The Doctor chuckled watching The Face of Boe wind him up.

 _'It can wait.'_ He said while thinking that he needed to wait for the right moment and this moment was not it knowing it was too soon.

"Oh, does it have to?!" The Doctor moaned, sighing while nodding.

 _'We shall meet again, Doctor, for the third time, for the last time, and the truth shall be told. Until that day'_  he paused ' _goodbye his precious stone'_ The Face of Boe spoke only to Rita once again and then beamed away to the unknown leaving nothing behind.

"That is enigmatic." The Doctor shook his head and grinned That, that is, that is textbook enigmatic." His face then fell and he turned to Cassandra "And now for you."

"But everything's happy. Everything's fine. Can't you just leave me?" She begged looking between the Doctor and Rose.

"You've lived long enough. Leave that body and end it, Cassandra." The Doctor spoke calmly.

"I don't want to die." Cassandra's voice began to crack.

"No one does." Rose softly spoke to the woman.

"Help me." She looked up at the pair. Pleaded in her eyes.      

"We can't."

"Mistress!" The Doctor and Rose looked up while Cassandra turned around to see Chip run in a smile plastered on his face.

"Oh, you're alive."

"I kept myself safe for you, mistress." Chip walked over beaming proudly at the woman. The poor man cared for her so much yet she didn't blink an eye at him.

"A body. And not just that, a volunteer."  Cassandra grinned at the pair obviously hinting to them that she was going to use Chip.

"Don't you dare." The Doctor warned her "He's got a life of his own."

"But I worship the mistress." Chip basically encouraging Cassandra "I welcome her." he smiled at Cassandra.

"You can't, Cassandra, you-" It was too late and Cassandra had already let Rita go freeing her from her own body allowing her to not be compressed to death in her own mind. From feeling so weak Rita headed straight for the floor however if it wasn't for the Doctor catching her Rita most definitely would have.

"Oh! You all right?" The Doctor asked helping her stand before she started to crash to the ground again "Whoa! Okay?" he gasped slightly as he caught Rita before she collided with the cold floor.

"Yeah" Rita groaned feeling her head pounding. "Hi" She looked up at the Doctor and smiled genuinely happy to be back controlling her own body.  

"Hello." He grinned. "Welcome back." He helped her stand on her own two feet. Rose then rushed over to the brunette to help keep her balanced on the side the Doctor was not holding.

"Oh, sweet Lord. I'm a walking doodle." Cassandra gasped looking down at her arms.

"You can't stay in there." The Doctor told her "I'm sorry, Cassandra, but that's not fair. I can take you to the city. They can build you a skin tank and you can stand trial for what you've done." He gently let Rita go as she gained the strength to be able to finally stand on her own.

"Well, that would be rather dramatic." Cassandra scoffed "Possibly my finest hour, and certainly my finest hat, but I'm afraid we don't have time." Rita's face fell knowing what was going to happen she walked over near the woman ready to be able to catch her before she fell. 

"Poor little Chip is only a half-life, and he's been through so much." Cassandra's face also then fell "His heart is racing so. He's failing. I don't think he's going to last." Cassandra then falls, Rita caught the woman and gently lets her down to the floor.

"Are you all right?" The Doctor asked.

"I'm fine. I'm dying, but that's fine." Cassandra looked at Rita in the eye and smiled sadly knowing what would happen. "You knew didn't you?" She asked softly not looking away. 

Rita slowly nodded a tear falling down her cheek as rude and selfish the woman was at times Rita definitely knew from the moment that she ended that 'episode' that Cassandra was kind and cared.

"I'm sorry Cassandra" Rita sighed. "I tried to warn you at the start, I said that we- the Doctor" she corrected. "Could help, but stubborn you didn't listen." Rita gave out a small laugh.

"It's ok Rita" she blinked not expecting Cassandra to say her name since she only addressed her as the kid or brunette throughout the day. "You tried and that's what matters"

"I can take you to the city." The Doctor interrupted their conversation.

"No, you won't." Cassandra declined the offer "Everything's new on this planet. There's no place for Chip and me anymore." She sighed "You're right, Doctor. It's time to die, and that's good."  

"Come on. There's one last thing I can do." The Doctor turned around and began to head for the TARDIS and then stopped waiting for Rita and Rose.

"Rose you go on with Cassandra a second I need to talk to Rita" Rita blinked at the Doctor and frowned then turned to Rose who nodded and helped Cassandra.

"Are you okay?" he asked her once Rose had left.

"I told you I was-"

"About her" He interrupted and glanced in the direction Rose and Cassandra went in. "You knew this was going to happen Rita and I know what that can do to someone." He glanced down knowing too well that Rita knew what he was talking about.

"I'll be fine" She told him truthfully nodding. "I promise"

"I know" he smiled back and offered his hand trying to at least comfort her knowing what she was going through right now as the pair headed in the same direction as their friend had just left in.

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Rita stayed in the TARDIS while the Doctor and Rose exited to take Cassandra to the last time she was called a beautiful woman. Rita sighed at the thought she never realised it was this hard knowing the future she was going to have to stop being so sensitive if she was going to survive what was to come.


	6. Tooth and Claw

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So it's been a while since the last chapter, I haven't completed anything for my fics in about a month(?) There's been a lot going on and I've just wanted to chill and let things happen to be honest, however, I do have this chapter which I think is great. Tooth and Claw is definitely one of my favourite episodes from series 2. Enjoy! <3

"What do you think of this? Will it do?" Rose walked over to the console spinning around a little in her denim dungarees, Rita wrinkled her nose, personally thinking that it didn't suit the blonde.

"I prefer my new grey jeans with my plaid shirt and leather jacket, not to mention my new shoes" Rita laughed pointing at the new maroon vans on her feet remembering what happened to her red ones.

"You sure like vans don't you" Rose laughed.

"Yep" Rita popped the 'p'

"You can't wear that where we're going" the Doctor chuckled at Rita.

"You wear that suit all the time" Rita exclaimed crossing her arms over her chest and sighing, leaning on the TARDIS. "Where are we going anyways?" Rita raised a brow curiosity getting the better of her.

"Somewhere where you can't wear that" Rose laughed at her own comment.

"1979" The Doctor answered the brunettes question.

"Still not changing Doctor" Rita grinned "If you can get away with that suit with them Conversers in 1979 I can get away with what I am wearing" she gave a smug look, the Doctor being defeated smirked back at her.

"Very well then. Hold on, listen to this" he commented and then popped a CD into the TARDIS which then began to play. "Ian Dury and the Blockheads. Number One in 1979." He told the pair.

"You're a punk" Rose laughed at him.

"Hey, this isn't so bad" Rita nodded her head in thought.

"It's good to be a lunatic."

"That's what you are." Rose pointed and laughed "A big old punk with a bit of rockabilly thrown in." She waved her finger up and down at him Rita shook her head and chuckled at Rose.

"Would you like to see him?" The Doctor asked Rose.

"How'd you mean?" Rose asked "In concert?"

"What else is a TARDIS for?" He began to walk around the console, Rita behind him and Rose on the opposite side. "I can take you both to the Battle of Trafalgar, the first anti-gravity Olympics, Caesar crossing the Rubicon or Ian Dury at the Top Rank, Sheffield, England, Earth, 21st November, 1979. What do you think?" He grinned at them.

"Sheffield it is." Rose caught up with them and stood on the right side of the Doctor, Rita to his left, he looked over at Rita and raised a brow.

"Sheffield it is then." She agreed the Doctor smiled smugly at them both.

"Hold on tight." He pressed buttons on the console while turning knobs and pulling levers. He then brought out a large hammer and starts to hit the TARDIS to the beat of the music.

"I don't think she likes it when you do" Rita began but then was thrown to the floor on her back along with the Doctor and Rose. "That" She blinked and then looked over at the Doctor and then Rose.

The Doctor jumped up and placed the hammer down then helped Rose and Rita to their feet who followed him to the doors of the TARDIS while picking up his coat jacket on the way. "1979. Hell of a year." He grins at the both Rita then frowns

'You mean 1879' the brunette thought to herself.

"China invades Vietnam. The Muppet Movie. Love that film. Margaret Thatcher. Urgh." The Doctor shook his head slightly shivering. "Skylab falls to Earth, with a little help from me." He winked at the two "Nearly took off my thumb." He then exited the TARDIS followed by Rose and then Rita who already had her hands halfway in the air. "And I like my thumb. I need my thumb. I'm very attached to-" He stopped talking at the sound of well over 5 rifles being cocked and pointed in the trio's direction.

"My thumb" He finished raising his hands. "1879. Same difference." Rita shook her head

"Big difference" she whispers closely watching the men who were on horses and standing pointing their guns at the three.

"You will explain your presence." The man on a black horse the closest to the three "And the nakedness of this girl as well as this ones strange clothes" The Doctor caught on and began to use a Scottish accent which honestly sounded like he was from Scotland.

"Are we in Scotland?" He asked.

"How can you be ignorant of that?" The man on the horse frowned. Rita had to cover her mouth with her hands to stop her from laughing at the Doctors accent which she noticed sounded  _a lot_ like David Tennant's natural accent.

"Oh, I'm, I'm dazed and confused." he continued the accent looking over at Rita and winking "I've been chasing this, this wee naked child over hill and over dale." He looked over at Rose "Isn't that right, ya timorous beastie?"

"Och, aye! I've been oot and aboot." Rose tried to copy the Doctor but failed, Rita couldn't hold it in any longer and let out a chuckle.

"No don't do that" he dropped the accent shaking his head, Rita then snorted trying to stop her laughter.

"Hoots mon." Rose continued Rita then laughed louder.

"No. Really don't. Really" The Doctor shook his head then turned to Rita who then stopped laughing turning all serious.

"And what is wrong with her?" The man turned to Rita although she had stopped laughing you could see that she was desperately trying to hold another laugh in.

"Oh, she was with the wee naked child, wouldn't leave without her" He made up in a Scottish accent once again.

"Will you identify yourself, sir?" The man asked the Doctor.

"I'm Doctor James McCrimmon, from the township of Balamory. I have my credentials, if I may." He reached into the inside of his coat and pulled out the psychic paper and then held it up to the man on the horse.

"As you can see, a Doctorate from the University of Edinburgh. I trained under Doctor Bell himself." He took the psychic back a rather posh British female voice was then heard from the carriage.

"Let them approach" it ordered.

"I don't think that's wise, ma'am." The man on the horse recommended.

"Let them approach" she repeated.

"You will approach the carriage," He then ordered and the three walked over to the carriage following his orders. "And show all due deference." A footman then opened the door to reveal Queen Victoria.

"Rita, Rose," The Doctor beamed widely "might I introduce her Majesty, Queen Victoria. Empress of India and Defender of the Faith."

"Rose Tyler, Ma'am." Rose bowed before the Queen "And my apologies for being so naked."

"Rita Stone, Ma'am." Rita copied her friend. "apologies for.." she paused Queen Victoria raised a brow. "my strange clothes"

"I've had five daughters. It's nothing to me." She chuckled addressing them both "But you, Doctor. Show me these credentials." The Doctor then handed over the psychic paper to her, she looked over the psychic paper and frowned "Why didn't you say so immediately?" The Doctor then frowned in confusion" It states clearly here that you have been appointed by the Lord Provost as my Protector."

"Does it?" He questioned and then corrected himself "Yes, it does. Good. Good." he nodded "Then let me ask - why is Your Majesty travelling by road when there's a train all the way to Aberdeen?"

"A tree on the line" Queen Victoria replied.

"An accident?" Rita shook her head while Queen Victoria corrected Rose's guess: "I am the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Everything around me tends to be planned."

"An assassination attempt?" The Doctor raised his brows and nodded his head forward slightly.

"What, seriously? There are people out to kill you?" Rose questioned not believing what she was hearing.

"I'm quite used to staring down the barrel of a gun." She commented very seriously.

"Sir Robert MacLeish lives but ten miles hence. We've sent word ahead. He'll shelter us for tonight, then we can reach Balmoral tomorrow." The man informed the three.

"This Doctor, his timorous beastie and the girl in strange clothes will come with us." The trio smiled brightly at the Queen and nodded.

"Yes, Ma'am. We'd better get moving - it's almost nightfall." The man agreed.

"Indeed. And there are stories of wolves in these parts. Fanciful tales intended to scare the children. But good for the blood, I think. Drive on!"

The carriage then slowly began to move and the three walked behind following.

"It's funny, though because you say assassination and you just think of Kennedy and stuff." Rose thought out loud "Not her."

"1879? She's had, oh, six attempts on her life? And I'll tell you something else." He laughed "We just met Queen Victoria!"

"We did" Rita laughed.

"I know!" Rose giggled

"What a laugh!" The Doctor commented looking at the two girls beside him.

"Never thought I would meet the Queen." Rita told the too "You're impossible Doctor" Rita shook her head and smiled Rose did the same.

"Oh but you both love it really" He smirked at the two.

"She was just sitting there." Rose thought aloud again.

"Like a stamp" Rita commented.

"I want her to say we are not amused." Rose chuckled "I bet you five quid I can make her say it." She turned to Rita and then the Doctor 

"Well, if I gambled on that, it'd be an abuse of my privileges of traveller in time." He said. "Plus Rita knows the future foreknowledge and all" He waved his arm in the air.

"Foreknowledge" Rita mumbled frowning.

"Like knowing something is going to happen before it does, that's foreknowledge"

"Oh" Rita nods in understanding.

"Ten quid?" Rose looked at the Doctor.

"Done" he smiled. 

The three linked arms and continued to follow the carriage holding Queen Victoria in it, they joked around and told stories to each other on the way, Rita telling them both more about her life before meeting the pair.

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"Your Majesty." A man walked out cautiously with a bold man a frown plastered on his face behind him. Rita looks down sadly knowing what was to happen to the man and most of the people in the house later today. There was nothing Rita could do and she knew that. The Doctor noticed her looking down with a sad expression he gently squeezed her hand to comfort the girl, Rita looked up at him and gave a sad smile to try and reassure him that she was ok. 

"Sir Robert." Queen Victoria exited the carriage "My apologies for the emergency. And how is Lady Isobel?" She asked unaware of what was going on inside the house.

"She's" he paused thinking of the word to use "indisposed, I'm afraid. She's gone to Edinburgh for the season." he then tried to warn her: "And she's taken the cook with her. The kitchens are barely stocked. I wouldn't blame Your Majesty if you wanted to ride on." The queen waved it off not seeing the worry behind the man's eyes.

"Oh, not at all. I've had quite enough carriage exercise. And this is charming, if rustic. It's my first visit to this house. My late husband spoke of it often." She paused "The Torchwood Estate." Rita's eyes shot up at the Queen she knew what the house was called but hearing it in person brought it to a whole new level. "Now, shall we go inside? And please excuse the naked girl and the girl in strange clothes".

"Sorry." Rose and Rita both muttered.

"She's a feral child. I bought her for sixpence in old London Town. Wouldn't leave without the girl in strange clothes." he explained to those who hadn't heard earlier. Rita quietly groaned "It's was her or the Elephant Man, so" Rita rolled her eyes in annoyance. The Doctor was clearly enjoying himself. "You wore the clothes not me" He leant in and whispered into her ear. Rita then groaned again knowing that he was right. The Doctor smirked at her finding the annoyed look on her face quite funny.

"Thinks he's funny but I'm so not amused." Rose narrowed her eyes at the Doctor playfully "What do you think, Ma'am?"

"It hardly matters. Shall we proceed?" Sir Robert nodded at the Queen who then headed into the house.

"So close," Rose whispered to the Doctor and Rita.

"Yet so far" Rita smirked at her.

"Makerson and Ramsey, you will escort the property. Hurry up."

"Yes, sir." they nodded and headed for the carriage then took out a small box and carried to past the three. The Doctor looked at the box as it past intrigued as to what was inside.

"So what's in there, then?" The Doctor finally asked.

"Property of the Crown. You will dismiss any further thoughts, sir." He firmly told the Doctor "The rest of you go to the rear of the house. Assume your designated positions." he ordered his men.

"You heard the orders. Positions" One of the soldiers told the others. They then all followed going around to the back of the house.

The three followed the Queen and Sir Robert up to the observatory where Queen Victoria and Sir Robert were looking at his father's telescope. Rose and Rita peered over the three now including the Doctor to admire the telescope as well. "This, I take it, is the famous Endeavour." The Queen guessed.

"All my father's work." He nodded "Built by hand in his final years. Became something of an obsession. He spent his money on this rather than caring for the house or himself."

"I wish I'd met him. I like him." The Doctors smiled at Robert and then gleamed at the telescope "That thing's beautiful. Can I?" He gestured to it if he could touch it and look at it with more detail

"Help yourself" Sir Robert approved.

"It's amazing" Rita beamed and turned to Rose who nodded in agreement.

"Your father must have been proud" Rose then added.

The Doctor walked back over standing between Rose and Rita and looked through the telescope "It's a bit rubbish." The Doctor commented shooting down the telescope and wrinkled his nose. Rita rolled her eyes at him he just shrugged back at her "How many prisms has it got?" He asked but then it himself "Way too many. The magnification's gone right over the top." He pointed out "That's stupid kind of-" he stopped and then turned to the girls "Am I being rude again?" He raised a brow in question.

"Yep," they replied in unison pursuing their lips.

"But it's pretty. It's very pretty." The Doctor pointed out turning to the two girls who nodded in agreement.

"And the imagination of it should be applauded." Queen Victoria added.

"Mmm." Rose hummed "Thought you might disapprove, Your Majesty. Stargazing. Isn't that a bit fanciful? You could easily not be amused, or something?" Rita shook her head and grinned at the blonde finding her persistence to be funny. "No?" Rita looked up at the Doctor standing on the other side of Rose, looking down and shaking his head.

"This device surveys the infinite work of God. What could be finer?" The Queen asked, "Sir Robert's father was an example to us all." She turned to the man "A polymath, steeped in astronomy and sciences, yet equally well versed in folklore and fairytales."

"Stars and magic. I like him more and more."

"I thought you didn't believe in magic" Rita whispered to him who just frowned back at her in confusion. "Secrets" she smirked.

"Oh, my late husband enjoyed his company." She continued not hearing the pair "Prince Albert himself was acquainted with many rural superstitions, coming as he did from Saxe Coburg."

"That's Bavaria." The Doctor stated.

"When Albert was told about your local wolf, he was transported." Rita's eyes shot up staring at the woman the Doctor holding the same look.

"So, what's this wolf, then?" The Doctor asked.

"It's just a story," Robert spoke up looking very uncomfortable, Rita turned to him looking at the man with pity. She couldn't take knowing his future, knowing that she wouldn't be able to change or stop it without something like a paradox being created possibly harming Rose the Doctor and herself in the process, something that she couldn't see happen.

"Then tell it." The Doctor was persistent, Rita winced a little at that hating that he couldn't see what was going on with his own eyes then again she know he had no way of knowing what was going on below them in the cellar.

Robert stuttered for a moment and turned his head in the direction of the three bold men in the doorway "It's said that-" He was cut off by the man in the middle.

"Excuse me, sir." he cut in. "Perhaps her Majesty's party could repair to their rooms. It's almost dark." he smiled innocently a little too innocently for Rita's liking knowing what he had done or was going to do she shot him a glare that he did not see.

"Of course." Robert sighed "Yes, of course."

"And then supper." the Queen nodded "And could we find some clothes for Miss Tyler and Miss Stone? I'm tired of nakedness and strange clothes."

"It's not amusing, is it?" Rose smiled at the Queen who ignored her.

She turned to Robert "Sir Robert, your wife must have left some clothes. See to it." she turned back to the trio standing beside the huge telescope "We shall dine at seven, and talk some more of this wolf." Rita silently breathed deeply thinking to herself that she would rather not talk about the wolf. "After all, there is a full moon tonight."

"So there is, Ma'am," Robert commented and then bowed. The trio and the Queen walked out the room, Rita watching Robert closely wishing that she could help the poor man as the bold men stood behind Sit Robert. 

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"What do you think of the house then?" Rose asked Rita who thought for a moment sitting on the bed watching the blonde bring out clothes after clothes.

"Its, different than I thought it would be"

"Good different or bad different" Rose questioned not looking back while she scanned through the wardrobe.

"Just, different" Rita grinned at her reference to Christmas something the blonde most likely didn't think twice to remember, her face then fell as she remembered who else was in the room, her eyes darted around as she tried to remember where the housemaid was hiding.

Rose closed the wardrobe and moved over to another Rita's eyes then widened suddenly knowing what the blonde would find. The poor woman screamed and jumped back in fright as the housemaid looked at the pair scared to death.

"Hey, hey" Rita slowly walked over holding out a hand to try and calm the maid. "We're not here to hurt you" the maid cautiously stepped out of the wardrobe.

"Why were you in the wardrobe?" Rose calmly asked the woman in a soothing voice.

"They came through the house." The maid choked up tears forming in her eyes as she remembered the event. "In the excitement, they took the Steward and the Master, and my Lady."

Rose took the woman's hands and looked into her eyes Rita stood beside the woman with a hand on her shoulder trying to add as much comfort as she possibly could "Listen. we've got a friend." She spoke slowly so the woman could understand and calm down "He's called the Doctor. He'll know what to do. You've got to come with us."

"Rose we really should wait for the Doctor" Rita warned her calmly so she wouldn't scare the maid.

"No" Rose shook her head. "We should find him, he will know what to do," She said more to the woman than to Rita. "Right Rita"

"Right" she nodded knowing that she couldn't argue with Rose risking the new friendship as well as the course of events to come.

"Oh, but I can't, Miss." the maid said to Rose in a pleading voice now shaking, she looked at Rita begging for her to back the maid up Rita just slowly shook her head looking down.

"What's your name?" she asked the maid for Rose as she already knew her name.

"Flora." she choked up again, Rita moved her hand from the woman's shoulder and brought her in for a hug in an attempt to calm her.

"Flora, we'll be safe," Rose promised her, Rita knew that Rose couldn't keep that sort of promise knowing what would happen to many of the people in this house including possibly Flora. Rita couldn't remember if the poor woman died or survived the night, and she hoped it was the second option.

"There's more people arrived downstairs, soldiers and everything," Rose told her "and they can help us." She then looked into Flora's eyes and then up at Rita who nodded at the blonde before she looked back at Flora and with a serious expression told her: "I promise. Come on. Okay? Come on." She gestured for the maid and Rita to follow.


	7. Tooth and Claw - Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I've had a few things going on lately sorry for the absence :)

The three turns a corner, Rita and Rose suddenly notice a soldier in similar clothes to the ones by the carriage earlier was laying on the floor as if he was dead.

"Oh, Miss." Flora cried out "I did warn you."

"He's not dead." Role paused and then continued. "I don't think," she looked at Rita wondering what she thought.

"No he's not" she confirmed.

"he must be drugged or something." Rose then added while looking at the man laying on the floor.

The bold man who Rita remembered from the episode as father Angelo grabbed Flora from behind. Rita jumped around in surprise feeling the maid grab her arm in fright Angelo held a hand firmly around the maid's mouth, unable to speak she widened her eyes at the brunette. Rose, on the other hand, was also grabbed by another one of the bold men in the same position as Flora. Rita had no time to react to what was going on with a third man coming up behind her grabbing her placing a hand over her mouth and dragging the three away.

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Angelo entered a very posh dining area with the Doctor Queen Victoria and one of the soldiers from before seated at a large table in the middle of the room lit by only candles. "Your companions beg for an apology, Doctor." He walked in not looking at the three "Their clothing has somewhat delayed them both."

"Oh, that's all right. Save them both a wee bit of ham." The Doctor looked up at Angelo and smiled. 

"Very wise, Ma'am. Very witty" the soldier who obviously must be the captain commented smiling away at the Queen.

"Slightly witty, perhaps." She nodded in agreements, the Doctor watched the two talk and began to wonder how long it actually took for the two girls to change clothes. "I know you rarely get the chance to dine with me, Captain, but don't get too excited." the Queen warned, "I shall contain my wit in case I do you further injury."

"Yes, Ma'am. Sorry, Ma'am" The captain said

"Besides, we're all waiting on Sir Robert." the Doctor spoke turning to the man who looked slightly nervous. "Come, sir. You promised us a tale of nightmares."

"Indeed." Queen Victoria agreed with the Doctor "Since my husband's death, I find myself with more of a taste for supernatural fiction."

The Doctor nodded his head at the woman his mind elsewhere. Where are Rita and Rose? he repeatedly asked himself. "You must miss him." the Doctor replied stopping any thoughts about where the two were knowing that they were most likely busy trying on clothes with Rita complaining about dresses and having to change out of her 'strange' clothes, the Doctor smiled to himself at the thought of her moaning about the different clothes and Rose having no issues with them trying to encourage the brunette to wear a dress that she thought was 'hideous'

"Begin your tale, Sir Robert." the Doctor snapped back into reality not hearing what the Queen had just said he slowly nodded making no comment "There's a chill in the air. The wind is howling through the eaves." the Queen looked between the Doctor, Robert who was now sat down and the captain. "Tell us of monsters." 

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Rita and Rose were chained up with Flora and a few another woman who seemed to work or live in the house. " Don't make a sound." the woman Rita remembered as Isobel from the episode warned the rest of the girls. "They said if we scream or shout, then he will slaughter us."

"But he's in a cage. He's a prisoner." Rose told them not knowing what the man really way "He's the same as us."  
  


"He's nothing like us," Isobel spoke her voice cracking a little while she didn't look away from the man terror taking over her face.

"Isobel is right Rose" Rita stared at the creature her face fixed and unreadable. "That's not a man"

"That creature is not mortal," Isobel added only moments before the man's eyes shot open showing the black empty nothingness the woman chained up against the wall on the other side of the room jolt back in horror, even Rita who knew that this was going to happen jolted back in fright. Seeing this happen through a screen was one thing but seeing it in front of your eyes is another.

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"The story goes back three hundred years." Robert began looking a little calmer than before "Every full moon, the howling rings through the valley. The next morning, livestock is found ripped apart and devoured." The Doctor frowned listening to the man closely.

Tales like this just disguise the work of thieves. Steal a sheep and blame a wolf, simple as that.

"But sometimes a child goes missing." The Doctor raised his eyebrows and leant in a little closer "Once in a generation, a boy will vanish from his homestead."

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Rose started to get up from the ground Rita then followed as well having no choice since she was chained up to the blonde, not that it made any difference since she wouldn't put her in danger even if she know Rose would survive it knowing how much the Doctor cared for her even if he didn't even know it himself yet she couldn't place her in any possible life threatening danger that Rose most likely would escape.

" Don't, children" was the only warning Isobel gave them both.

"Who are you?" Rose asked ignoring her.

"Don't enrage him." a steward also chained up also warned Rose who proceeded to ignore him.

"Where are you from?" She started to kneel down not being able to move forward any further. Rita stood by her protecting Rose, she could never be too sure.

"You're not from Earth," Rita told the man more like a statement than a question.

"What planet are you from?" Rose asked wanting to help the man.

"Oh, intelligence." the man snapped his head in Rita's direction she stayed firmly in place. His voice was scratchy and croaky as if he had not spoken for a long time.

"Where were you born?" Rose asked ignoring his comment to her friend.

"This body? Ten miles away. A weakling," he spat "Heartsick boy, stolen away at night by the brethren for my cultivation. I carved out his soul and sat in his heart." The man spoke as if it was an everyday thing for him to just take a body like that. Take the body of a young man someone somewhere loved siblings parents possibly a relationship all gone because something more powerful than him could take his body and claim it as its own.

\---------------------------------------------------------------- 

"Are there descriptions of the creature?" The Doctor was definitely interested. 

"Oh, yes, Doctor. Drawings and woodcarvings." Robert paused looking at the Doctor very seriously "And it's not merely a wolf. It's more than that. This is a man who becomes an animal." he spoke as if it was impossible yet so real like he had seen it before or at least know it was real.   
"A werewolf?" the Doctor widened his eyes asking Robert if what he thought he had heard correctly was indeed real.

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"All right," Rose sighed trying to piece things together as Rita watched trying to remember as much about the episode as she could which honestly wasn't that good considering the episode was released in April 2006. It was around January 2017 for Rita before she had come here, she didn't remember as much as she would have done with the episode being fresh in her mind. "So the body's human." Rose questioned the man thinking though every so delicately "But what about you, the thing inside?"

"So far from home, just like you Miss Stone" the man snapped his head to the brunette now wide-eyed with more fear than she ever had been full of before. Rose stared at the brunette with disbelief  _How does it know me?_ Rita repeated over and over in her mind thinking back trying to remember the episode. It never mentioned Rose in the episode? she thought now doubting herself more and more the longer she thought about it.  _Why me?_ she questioned herself.  _It couldn't have anything to do with me being from 'another world' or the future, Rose was from the future as well?_ The girl thought.  _Why didn't it mention Rose?_

"We can help you get back home." Rita shook the thoughts from her head focusing on the current moment.

"Why would I leave this place?" He asked "A world of industry, of workforce and warfare. I could turn it to such purpose." The voice almost gleamed at the thought.

"How would you do that?" Rose asked

"I would migrate to the Holy Monarch."

"You mean you would take over Queen Victoria" Rita corrected making it sound much harsher than it already did.

"With one bite, I would pass into her blood, and then it begins. The Empire of the Wolf. Many questions." The man lunged forward, hands on bars and his face between them staring at the girls.

"Look. Inside your eyes. You've seen it too." The scratchy voice spoke.

"Seen what?" Rose asked confused. Rita slowly moved her hand over to Rose's to comfort the girl knowing what was about to be said.

"The Wolf. There is something of the Wolf about you" he didn't fully understand what he could possibly see in the blonde's eyes.

"I don't know what you mean." Rose denied all knowledge, however, she knew what he meant, she just didn't believe it.  
"You burnt like the sun, but all I require is the moon." He said before snapping his head to Rita. "And you," she frowned puzzled. "The girl so alone yet not so much." Rita frowned. She wasn't alone she had Rose and the Doctor they were all she really needed, none of her 'friends' from 'her world' had time to spend with her, always at parties or family dinners.  _Rita was all alone._  
  
  


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"My father didn't treat it as a story." Robert continued "He said it was fact. He even claimed to have communed with the beast, to have learned its purpose. I should have listened. His work was hindered. He made enemies. There's a monastery in the Glen of Saint Catherine. The Brethren opposed my father's investigations." He explained. There was a faint whisper in the room coming from Angelo staring up at the moon.

"Perhaps they thought his work ungodly." The Queen suggested.  
"That's what I thought." He sighed his eyes flickering between Angelo and the three sitting at the table "But now I wonder. What if they had a different reason for wanting the story kept quiet?" He paused looking at the three seriously "What if they turned from God and worshipped the wolf?"

The Doctors eyes widened suddenly realising what Robert was talking about his eyes scanned the room landing on Angelo by the window ignoring the four at the table, staring at the moon mumbling words in a whisper. "And what if they were with us right now?" He said turning back to the three.

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The cellar doors flew open causing the chained up people to jump back and the man to throw his head in the direction of the light. "Moonlight" he whispered pushing his head between the bars trying to get as close as he possibly can to touch the light. A wind began to rise in the room, impossible since it wasn't windy out Rita could clearly see there was not a single breeze she knew Rose could see as well. The man began to remove his cloak. She pulled the blonde back to the wall and grabbed the chain with both hands.

"All of you!" Rose shouted back at them understanding Rita's plan or what was meant to be her own plan. "Stop looking at it!" She turned to Flora and looked at her in the eyes, terror taking over the girls body "Flora, don't look at it" Rita called back making an early start on pulling the chain. "Listen to her!" Rose shouted at Flora "Grab hold of the chain and pull!" She ordered the rest of the people in the room. Eyes fix on the man now almost the wolf. "Come on! With me! Pull!" She grabbed the chain and began to pull along with Rita with all her might.

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"What is the meaning of this?" Queen Victoria demanded to know what was going on her.

"Explain yourself, Sir Robert!" The captain also demanded, shouting at Robert.

"What's happening?" The Queen asked confused she looked between the two men for an answer while the Doctor sat in his chair thinking.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty, they've got my wife." Sir Robert blurted out. The Doctor widened his eyes and then jumped up storming over to Angelo who wasn't paying attention as if he was in some kind of trance.

"Rose!" He shouted at the man who was still taking no notice of him "Where's Rita!?" he shouted gritting his teeth and clenching his hands that were now in tight fists "Where are they!? Sir Robert, come on!" he turned and ran ordering the man to follow.

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The two girls along with the rest of the people chained together continued to pull the chain attached to the wall with all their strength, not wasting a single moment or breath Rita gritted her teeth arms aching and hands feeling like a newly lit fire with how much they burned and stung from pulling the chain and almost her skin. Rose also felt the same she counted the group in ready to pull: "One, two, three, pull!" she shouted out. "One, two, three, pull!"

"One, two, three, pull!" Rose shouted again, Rita groaned pulling with all of the energy she had left in her arms freeing the chain and the group of kidnapped people from the wall. Rita jolted her head in the direction of the door as she heard it breaking open on the other side.

"Doctor!" Rita shouted getting Rose and the Doctors attention.

"Where the hell have you been?" Rose sighed in relief still not out of danger, though.

"Oh that's beautiful" The Doctor mumbled staring at the wolf as it fully formed snapping parts of the cage.

"Now's not the time to flirt with it, Doctor!" Rita shouted at him while Robert ordered everyone out of the room. The wolf breaks the cage with its size freeing itself and snapping its neck in the group's direction"Out! Out! Out! Out! Out! Out! Out! Out! Out! Out!" the Doctor shouted at the remaining people in the room pushing them to the door Rose ran out and into the hallway waiting for the Doctor, Rita stood just before the doorway knowing what was to happen next.

"Come on!" Rose shouted at the pair while running down the hallway the Doctor watching the wolf in awe Rita standing waiting for him.

"Doctor!" she shouted just before the wolf threw part of its cage at the man who ducked under it grabbing Rita's hand and rushed out the room locking the door with the sonic screwdriver after him, The Doctor and Rita raised down the hall after Rose. They both catch up to Rose who was with the rest of the people from the cellar in a room as Sir Robert handed out guns and orders to the men.

"Arms, and you five. Ready, everyone?" he asked the men, the Doctor and Rita ran up to Rose. "I thought you both died!" she hit Rita and the Doctors arms

"Not today Rose" Rita smiled "Had to make sure he got out with his head" Rita pointed her thumb at the Doctor. "You may like your thumb but you look better with your head attached to your body" Rita shook her own head.

"What is it though Doctor?" Rose asked while he used the sonic screwdriver to remove the shackles off the girls.

"It could be any form of light modulated species triggered by specific wavelengths." he shook his head still unsure.

 _'Think Doctor'_ Rita thought

"Did it say what it wanted?" He looked at them both.

"The Queen, the Crown, the throne - you name it." she shook her head confused as to why.

the three heard a crash, the Doctor ran back to the hall to see what it was guessing most likely the wolf Rita sighed shaking her head before following staying behind the corner and peeking out to see the Doctor standing there still watching the wolf what was growling and sending daggers at him with its eyes. The wolf then began to ran the Doctor didn't move What are you doing?! She thought to widen her eyes as the wolf came closer not thinking she ran out and grabbed his hand jolting him back and pulling him with her "Come on!" She shouted rolling her eyes and running as fast as she could. "One day you're going to get yourself killed because you think something looks pretty!" They ran back to where a line of men was pointing guns in there direction, not at them, though. The Doctor pulled Rose back behind him along with Rita keeping them both behind him while he stood behind them, men.

"Fire!" the man in the middle shouted as the wolf came into sight. "Fire!" he repeated while they shot at the wolf. The wolf then dived the corner escaping some of the bullets, Rita knew it wasn't over and she could see that the Doctor and possibly Rose also realised just that.

The Doctor ordered the men lined up: "All right, you men. We should retreat upstairs. Come with me." he told them.

"I'll not retreat." the man in the middle told the Doctor, Rita gritted her teeth knowing what was to happen next. "The battle's done. There's no creature on God's Earth that could survive such an assault."

"How do you know that?" Rita said through her gritted teeth.

"It's impossible," he told her.

"Nothing is impossible, the Doctor is trying to save your life!" she shouted her eyes blazing at the man.

"You girl" he pointed right in her face. "You do not have the authority to tell me what to do!"

"authority my a-"

"I'm telling you" the Doctor spoke calmly, much calmer than he did in the episode. "Come upstairs"

"And I'm telling you, sir," he started to walk away from the group towards the corridor, Rita went to try and stop him only to be pulled back by the Doctor, she looked up and could see the sadness in his eyes.  _Is this what it's like?_  she thought.

 _Is this what I am going to have to get used to? Knowing that people will die and I just have to stand there and watch?_ she sighed and felt a squeeze in her hand. The Doctor trying to comfort her, Rose placed one of her hands upon Rita's shoulder as the man continued.

"I will sleep well tonight with that thing's hide upon my wall"  
He turned towards where the wolf had stood, looking round the corner he then turned back towards the group. Rita closed her eyes squeezing them as tight as possible. "It must have crawled away to die." He grinned mo king the group before screaming in pain as he was pulled into the air and ripped into shreds. The Doctor looked up in horror and anger grabbing Rose's hand with the one not holding Rita's

"There's nothing we can do!" The Doctor shouts.

"Everybody out!" Rita shouted ordering everyone to move. The Doctor pulled the girls away from the beast hearing the monstrosity of the man screaming in agony behind them as his skin and bones were pulled apart.

 

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The Doctor, Rita and Rose were with "All right, you men. We should retreat upstairs. Come with me.

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The three continued to run not looking back. They came to a staircase finding Queen Victoria and Sir Robert who had ran ahead. "The front door's no good, it's been boarded shut." The Doctor informed them both and then looked over at to the Queen "Pardon me, Your Majesty. You'll have to leg it out of a window." He pursed his lips and then gestured with his hand to the room with the open window which he had found moments before. Rita followed the Doctor Rose, Queen Victoria and Robert into the room. "Excuse my manners, Ma'am," he looked over at the Queen "but I shall go first, the better to assist Her Majesty's egress."

"A noble sentiment, my Sir Walter Raleigh" the Queen smiled nodding in approval.

The Doctor sighed and then broke his Scottish accent "Yeah, any chance you could hurry up?" He snapped.

"Accent" Rita whispered behind him just loud enough for him and Rose to hear while Robert opened the window and began to climb out only to almost dive back in again as bullets flew in the group's direction coming from only the monks.

"I reckon the monkey boys want us to stay inside." The Doctor commented keeping his head down with his companions behind him just as low to the ground as he was.

"Do they know who I am?" Queen Victoria said in disgust standing back up and looking between the people in the room with her.

"Yeah, that's why they want you." Rose pointed out. "The wolf's lined you up for a, a biting."

"And that's not a metaphor" Rita added.

"Stop this talk." She demanded. "There can't be an actual wolf." She stated before hearing the howling of the wolf itself. The three, as well as the Queen and Sir Robert, snapped their heads in the direction of the door the Doctor then ran into the corridor and stared at the door clearly seeing the wolfs attempts to get in.

"What do we do?" Rose asked her eyes fixated on the door.

"We run" the Doctor stared at the door.

"Just like we have been doing" Rita sighed. "I ran less in a year at school" she joked then looked between the Doctor and Rose seeing their unamused expression. "Sorry bad time" she mumbled looking at the floor.

"Is that it?" Rose asking her voice raising a little.

The Doctor finally looked away from the door turning to Rose, "You got any silver bullets?" He snapped

"Not on me, no." Rose snapped back.

"There we are then," he tilted his head at her.

"Not the time" Rita snapped at them both.

"we run." He looked over at the Queen "Your Majesty, as a Doctor, I recommend a vigorous jog." He then mimicked a jog and smiled, placing his hand out for the Queen to take. "Good for the health. Come on!"

The Doctor took the lead up the stairs followed by Sir Robert then Rita and Rose running up together. There was a loud crash of wood smashing and colliding with the floor. Rita turned her head and looked down the spiral stairs to look for the wolf. She saw it snarling at her.


	8. Tooth and Claw - Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yesterday I passed my driving test (first time!!!) and I was just buzzing the whole day, I was going to post this yesterday but I was just too giddy to really do anything.

"Come on!" The Doctor shouted letting the Queen continue up the stairs. He ran back down shouting at Rita who was fixed in place. "Rita! Come on!" He repeated multiple times trying to get the brunette to snap out of whatever was causing her to freeze, she continued to take no notice and was only pulled out if her trance when the Doctor pulled her by her shoulders and shouted in her face, not because he was angry but because he cared for the girl and couldn't live with knowing her death was his fault, he knew that Rose would always blame him for the brunettes death.

He grabbed her hand and dragged her up the stairs. Her legs not running fast enough to keep up with the Doctor leaving her to be dragged behind him. They turned a corner and the Doctor ducked taking Rita with him behind the captain who proceeded to shoot at the wolf causing it to stumble back.

"I'll take this position and hold it." He told the four. "You keep moving, for God's sake!" He shouted and then looked st the Queen. "Your Majesty, I went to look for the property and it was taken. The chest was empty."

"I have it. It's safe." She reassured him nodding.

"Then remove yourself, Ma'am." He looked over at the Doctor serious expression taking over his face. "Doctor, you stand as Her Majesty's Protector." He then looked over at the other man pointing his gun at him. "And you, Sir Robert, you're a traitor to the crown."

"He tried to save your life!" Rita defended the man. "At least he tried!"

"Not good enough" the captain spoke back in a calm monotone voice. Rita felt a swarm of guilt flow over her. This man  _was_ risking his life for his Queen and he didn't have to do that.

"Bullets won't kill it!" The Doctor shouted at him in his face, Rita pulled him back knowing that she or anyone else couldn't stop the man.

"They'll buy you time. Now run!" he orders the Doctor looks at him for a moment and then nods his head running to the library with the Queen, Sir Robert, Rose and Rita.

Sir Robert, Rita and Queen Victoria entered the room panting and out of breath, the Doctor, on the other hand, stood in the exit. Rita looked up to see the blonde standing fixated like just like she was moments ago on the stairs the Doctor shouted for Rose but received no reply, making a quick decision he grabbed the girl around her waist and pulls her in shutting the door behind him.

Robert then ordered them: "Barricade the door" he shouted to them. They all scrambled around the room near the door finding and grabbing what they could to try and block it off. Rita then breathed out a sigh. She noticed that they were in the Libary which was much larger than she anticipated when watching the episode. The room was stacked high with case after case with all different kinds of books many of them hundreds of years old by the time she knew about them.

The Doctor placed a finger to his lips hushing the four humans in the room "Wait a minute. Shush, shush," he leant closer to the door placing his left ear against it "wait a minute." He whispered again. "It's stopped." he breathed out a sigh hearing the wolf sniff and then slowly walk off. "It's gone" he faced the group sighing yet again.

"Listen," Rose told them holding a finger up in the air. Rita widened her eyes remembering part of the current scene and ran to the other door in the room. "It's not the only door!" she whispered quite loudly at them placing chairs in the way of the door. The Doctor and Rose also widened their own eyes rushing over to help the brunette.

"Shush." Rose raised her hand again. "Whats stopping it?" she asked frowning. "Rita?" she looked at the brunette who frowned back at her.

"Yeah?" she replied

"Well, you got foreknowledge so you know what this is right?"

"Rose I can't tell you that" Rita tilted her head. "I don't know the impact of what would happen and I definitely don't want to find it being a bad impact either.

"Not even in a hint?" She frowned again. Rita silently shook her head "Not even a small hint?"

Rita looked at the Doctor for help he, however, said nothing and raised his eyebrows up a little symptheticly for the girl who then sighed and mumbled: "Secret: it's near the walls" The Doctor smiled a little she was begining to understand what she could and couldn't say Rita never noticed this smiled but Rose did and smiled back at him understanding what he was happy at. The Doctor then frowned his smile disapearing off his face.

"Rita" he began. "Why did you stop at the stairs?"

"Why did you stop in the cellar?" she countered crossing her arms.

"I knew I was going to be fine in the cellar you, on the other hand, had no idea of the impact and you knew it too, You knew perfectly well that I was going to be ok yet you stayed behind. So why?" he finished crossing his own arms, his brown eyes searching her face trying to understand what she was thinking behind her skull and in her brain.

"I don't know" she mumbled. "I just stopped, just like Rose did" she shrugged.  _This isn't how the episode is supposed to go like?_ She thought not showing her confusion on her face knowing the Doctor was watching her and would definitely know something was wrong.

"I'll tell you what though" Rose spoke making Rita smile a little

 _Back on track,_ she thought.

"What?" The Doctor said.

"Werewolf" Rose cracked up into a small laugh Rita then joined in.

"I know!" The Doctor laughed along with the girls. "Are you both alright?" He asked them both after they all stopped laughing.

"After the running? Feel like I have lost a few pounds" Rita joked.

"I'm okay, yeah" Rose replied nodding.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am." Sir Robert shook his head in apology. "It's all my fault. I should have sent you away." He blamed himself. "I tried to suggest something was wrong. I thought you might notice." He sighed asking: "Did you think there was nothing strange about my household staff?"

"Well," the Doctor dragged it out. "They were bald, athletic." He pointed out. "Your wife's away, I just thought you were happy." He joked.

"Rude" Rita scolded him hitting his arm.

"I'll tell you what, though, Ma'am," Rita slowly shook her head crossing her arms and leaning against a wall knowing where Rose was going with this. "I bet you're not amused now."

"Do you think this is funny?" She asked raising her eyebrows definitely not amused.

"No, Ma'am. I'm sorry." Rose mumbled slowly walking backwards joining Rita leaning against the wall.

"What, exactly, I pray tell me, someone, please. What exactly is that creature?" The Queen asked.

"You'd call it a werewolf, but technically it's a more of a lupine wavelength haemovariform." He spoke proudly as if that was a good thing.

"You just want to sound smart" Rita smirked.

"Of course" he raised his brows at her making the brunette snort.

"And should I trust you, sir?" The Queen spoke up Rita and the Doctor stopped grinning turning to the Queen. "You who change your voice so easily? What happened to your accent?"

Rita sighed. "I did tell you" she pointed out raising her brows and looking at the doctor with the 'I told you so' face smirking ever so slightly, he rolled his eyes.

Rose chuckled a little at the pair. "When does he ever listen to us?" she joked grinning at Rita who grinned at her back.

The Queen coughed slightly bringing the trio's attention back onto her. "Oh right," the Doctor rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly "sorry, that's-" he tried to find the correct words to explain but was interrupted by the Queen.

"I'll not have it. No, sir." She then pointed to the door "Not you, not that thing, none of it. This is not my world"

"Not mind either, trust me" Rita mumbled.

"I beg your pardon?" the Queen looked at her frowning. "You look like you are very much enjoying this"

"No, I mean-" Rita stuttered. "This isn't-" she looked at the Queen who didn't seem to understand or care in the slightest. "Never mind" she mumbled looking down at her shoes. 

The Doctor patted her shoulder. "Right," he said and then looked up at the door of the room. "Mistletoe." The Doctor identified a carving in the door. "Sir Robert, did you father put that there?" he questioned the man standing beside the Queen looking just as confused as she was.

"I don't know. I suppose." He shrugged not understanding where the Doctor was going with this.

"On the other door, too. No, a carving wouldn't be enough. I wonder." He ran a hand though his hair. "Rita" he turned to the girl. "Anything?"

"Might sound odd but maybe if you lick something" her voice trailed off getting quieter the more she spoke.

"Lick?" He started to pace around. "Lick, lick, lick, lick, lick," he said pacing back and forwards before stopping. "Oh I am very thick" he ran another hand though his hair. "You Rita Stone" he pointed at her grinning. "You are very,  _very_  clever" he emphasised the word 'very'. He then added "and brilliant"  

"No that was you" she protested. "I just gave you the secret hint"

"Still clever in my book" he winked running over to the door and licking it.

Rose scrunched up her nose at the sight. "Why is he licking the door?" She asked Rita.

"Viscum album," he announced "the oil of the mistletoe. It's been worked into the wood like a varnish. How clever was your dad?" He grinned at Robert "I love him."

"Aww I ship it Doctor x Sir Roberts father" Rita laughed joking the Doctor, Sir Robert and Rose scrunched up their faces in disgust at the thought and in slight confusion. "What? You said you loved him not me" she raised her hands up in defence the Doctor thought for a second and then tilted his head making the 'eh' face before continuing to explain.

"Powerful stuff, mistletoe. Bursting with lectins and viscotoxins."

"And the wolf thinks it's allergic to it?" Robert questioned.

"Well, it thinks it is. The monkey monk monks need a way of controlling the wolf," he thought aloud "maybe they trained it to react against certain things."

"Nevertheless, that creature won't give up, Doctor, and we still don't possess an actual weapon." Sir Robert pointed out.

The Doctor winced at the thought of weapons. "Oh, your father got all the brains, didn't he?"

"Being rude again" Rose chipped it crossing her arms.

"Good." Rita gave him a playful slap on the arm. 

"Rude and not ginger, keep like that and you will never be ginger" she pointed at him in the face joking.

"I meant that one." He added not regretting what he said while grinning at the brunette, Rose just grinned at them both. "You want weapons? We're in a library." He ran to one of the cases filled with many different books of all shapes, sizes and thickness "Books! Best weapons in the world. This room's the greatest arsenal we could have." He placed his black rimmed glasses on his nose then picked up a few books throwing Rita and Rose one each. "Arm yourself."

"Biology, zoology. There might be something on wolves in here."

"Nope" Rita sighed crossing her arms.

"Aren't you going to help?" Rose raised a brow closing the book in her hands.

"I know what it is Rose, me going through these books is pointless. I can't tell you what that is, you four need to work it out yourselves." She sighed then muttered: "Sorry"

"Hold on, what about this?" The Doctor looked up. "A book on mistletoe." Rita grinned slightly moving over to stand beside the Doctor watching him scan through the book.

"A book on magic." Rose frowned joining them followed by Sir Robert.

"Some form of explosive." He mumbled looking at the Doctor.

"Hmm, that's the sort of thing." He hummed looking at the book intently.

"Wolf's bane, what about that?" Rose pointed to the words written on the page.

"Look what your old dad found. Something fell to Earth." He mumbled looking at Rita raising his brow at her. The brunette nodded back showing that he was on the right track to discovering what the wolf actually was or how to 'kill' it.

"A spaceship?" Rose questioned.

"Something like that" Rita nodded at the blonde then looking at the book again.

"A shooting star." Sir Robert said then began to read from the book. "In the year of our Lord 1540, under the reign of King James the Fifth, an almighty fire did burn in the pit." He blinked thinking for a moment. "That's the Glen of Saint Catherine just by the monastery."

"But that's over three hundred years ago. What's it been waiting for?" Rose asked crossing her arms.

"Maybe just a single cell survived. Adapting slowly down the generations, it survived through the humans, host after host after host."

"Like a virus except it isn't a virus" Rita chimed in the Doctor grinning at her comment.

"And you said you weren't clever" the Doctor grinned even more. Rita shook her head still denying her cleverness.

"But why does it want the throne?" Sir Robert interrupted the pair.

"That's what it wants. It said so. The Empire of the Wolf." said Rose.

"Imagine it." The Doctor removed his glasses placing them on the inside of his long brown coat. "The Victorian Age accelerated. Starships and missiles fueled by coal and driven by steam, leaving history devastated in its wake" 

Queen Victoria sighed "Sir Robert. If I am to die here-" She began getting interrupted by the man.

"Don't say that, Your Majesty." 

She then continued despite his wish for her not to. "I would destroy myself rather than let that creature infect me. But that's no matter. I ask only that you find some place of safekeeping for something far older and more precious than myself."   


"Hardly the time to worry about your valuables- ow!" he cried out feeling a sting on his arm.

"You have got to stop being so rude" Rita pointed up at him narrowing her eyes. "Pay attention shut up and listen, Doctor" she huffed then softened her face moving her left arm and resting it behind her identical to her right. "Please" The Doctor just stared at her with a blank expression, Rose bit on her bottom lip holding back a laugh at Rita and the Doctors expressions.

"Thank you for your opinion," Queen Victoria spoke sarcastically "but there is nothing more valuable than this." She brought out what looked like a stone at first but actually a diamond from her bag.  


"Is that the Koh-I-Noor?" Rose asked her mouth gaping open.

"Oh, yes. The greatest diamond in the world." He groaned out a little feeling a slight jab in his left side where Rita was now standing.

He turned to the brunette who was on her tiptoes close to his ear. "That's' for not apologising to her," She whispered and then moved her gaze from the Doctor to Queen Victoria and nodded slightly "She's the Queen and will no doubt have you exiled if you keep on being rude and careless about them," she turned her gaze back to him. "There people Doctor, scared people who have already lost so many to that thing out there. The least you could do is try not to run around looking so ecstatic about the whole situation."

The Doctor blinked at her mini speech not taking his eyes off of the Queen and Sir Robert who were talking most likely about the diamond, he could see what they had been though in the night just with the expression on their faces. His own eyes softened and he nodded not looking at the brunette beside him. "Sorry" he mumbled.

"I'm not the one who you should be apologising to Doctor, " she said a little too harsh than she meant. "Sorry, that wasn't meant to be rude."

"Who's rude now?" he turned to her for the first time since she had told him off smirking at the brunette who grinned back at him a few freckles on her face popping out. She shook her head closing her eyes and sighing.

"How long have you had it?" Rita asked her grinning expression leaving her face as she turned to Queen Victoria.

"Given to me as the spoils of war. Perhaps it's legend is now coming true. It is said that whoever owns it must surely die."

"Well, that's true of anything if you own it long enough." he then looked at the Diamond before gesturing to it "Can I?"

The Queen nodded he walked over and she handed him the diamond, he held it carefully examining every inch of it. "That is so beautiful," he said in awe smiling at the impressive diamond in his hands.

"How much is that worth?" Rose asked also looking at the diamond.

"They say the wages of the entire planet for a whole week."

"Good job my mum's not here." Rose joked. "She'd be fighting the wolf off with her bare hands for that thing." 

"And she'd win." she added.

"Still got to meet your mum" Rita grinned at the blonde "Wish I was there for Christmas could have met her then" Rita snorted at the thought.

"Where is the wolf?" Sir Robert piped up "I don't trust this silence."

Rita froze. _'How could I be so careless to forget? Uh, I was too busy telling the Doctor to stop being rude'_ she thought glancing at the Doctor narrowing her eyes at the man who was not watching her. "Doctor"

"Why do you travel with it?" The Doctor asked.

"Doctor"

"My annual pilgrimage. I'm taking it to Helier and Carew, the Royal Jewellers at Hazelhead. The stone needs recutting." The Queen replied both the Doctor and the rest of the people in the room ignoring the brunette. 

"Oh, but it's perfect," Rose said in awe looking at the diamond.

"My late husband never thought so." the Queen sighed.

"Now, there's a fact." The Doctor began "Prince Albert kept on having the Koh-I-Noor cut down. It used to be forty percent bigger than this. But he was never happy. Kept on cutting and cutting."

"He always said the shine was not quite right. But he died with it still unfinished." Queen Victoria sighed thinking about her late husband.

"Unfinished. Oh, yes." The Doctor commented.

"Doctor" Rita spoke louder this time hoping to get the mans attention. However, he ignored the brunette throwing the diamond to Queen Victoria who caught it The Doctor then started to go on one of his rambles.  _For saving millions of lives as well as planets he definitely is an idiot_ Rita thought gritting her teeth.

"There's a lot of unfinished business in this house. His father's research," he pointed to Sir Robert. "and your husband, Ma'am, he came here and he sought the perfect diamond." he stoped pacing around something the rest didn't realise he was doing. He ran a hand though his hair then held it up to hush the group which was already silent. "Hold on, hold on. All these separate things, they're not separate at all, they're connected." he then prodeced to hit his head with the bottom of his palm running another hand though his hair. "Oh, my head, my head. What if this house, it's a trap for you. Is that right, Ma'am?" He asked.

"Obviously."

"Doctor"

"At least, that's what the wolf intended." he continued ignoring the brunette yet again. "But, what if there's a trap inside the trap?"   


"Explain yourself, Doctor." Queen Victoria demanded.

He then pointed to the Queen and Sir Robert "What if his father and your husband weren't just telling each other stories. They dared to imagine all this was true, and they planned against it, laying the real trap not for you but for the wolf."   


"Doctor!" Rita shouted having enough of being ignored. 

"No need to shout Rita I am right here"

"You kept ignoring me" she huffed. "And now it's too late more running I guess" she sighed. The Doctor walked over to her and scraped a finger on her shoulder collecting something he then rubbed it between his fingers.

"Dust" he mumbled and then looked up at the same time as the rest of the group. "That wolf there." The glasses then cracked making a slight echo in the silents of the room the Doctor's eyes widened in horror knowing that the wolf would fall right on top of them. "Out! Out! Out!" he shouted pushing Rose and Rita towards the door. The two along with Sir Robert and Queen Victoria flung the objects that were keeping the wolf out in different directions trying to allow access to exit the Libary they were now trapped in.

"Rita" the Doctor huffed moving a chair out of the way while the brunette moved another herself she looked over at him giving her attention. "Next time don't let me ignore you" he grabbed her hand as well as Rose's before she could reply and then ran out the room making sure Queen Victoria and Sir Robert were in front of them. Letting go of Rita's hand he shut the door on the wolf which was now in the room.

He turned and ran beside Rita turning left and running down a hall. "Your Majesty!" Sir Robert shouted as they ran.  
"Get to the observatory!" The Doctor told them. As they continued to run. Roses turned around stopping and seeing the wolf behind her. She screamed out just before a liquid was thrown onto the wolf it howled out in pain and then ran in the direction it came in.

"Good shot." The Doctor commented moving out from behind Isobel and walked over with Rose and Rita to where the wolf headed.

"It was mistletoe." Lady Isobel informed them.

"Isobel!" Robert shouted pulling her into a kiss and then ordering her to head Back downstairs.

"Keep yourself safe." She told him.

"Now go." He ordered not promising her. Rita's face fell at the sight. ' _He never promised her...'_

"Girls, come with me. Down the back stairs, back to the kitchens. Quickly!" Isobel told the woman running in the direction of what Rita guessed was the kitchen.


	9. Tooth and Claw - Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter but still a chapter. ;) Just a heads up but I go on holiday for a week tomorrow so there won't be any updates for a while.

"Come on!" The Doctor ran back to Sir Robert, the Queen, Rose and Rita running through the hall where the woman had saved Rose's life. He turned a corner and sprinted up the stairs.

"The observatory's this way." Sir Robert told them taking the lead.

The five continued to run up the stairs following Sir Robert. "No mistletoe in these doors because your father wanted the wolf to get inside." The Doctor pointed out running into the room then stopping. "I just need time. Is there any way of barricading this?" he asked gesturing to the door.

"Just do your work and I'll defend it." Sir Robert made the quick decision.

"If we could bind them shut with rope or something," he suggested running back to the man knowing what he was thinking of doing, the five then heard the wolf howl getting close to them.

"I said I'd find you time," Robert repeated "Sir. Now get inside." 

"Goodman." The Doctor patted his shoulder proudly, Rita stood by the TimeLord looking at Sir Robert sadly, he was risking his life for his Queen and country, did he blame himself for this? For not warning the Queen? Most likely, should he? No definitely not Rita couldn't stop thinking about it as the Doctor pulled her away, into the observatory.

"Your Majesty, the diamond." The Doctor gestured to the diamond inside of the Queens bag, Rose stood by frowning not understanding what was going on. Rita, on the other hand, stood not paying attention, her mind elsewhere silently grieving over the people lost tonight and the people to be lost in her future.

"For what purpose?" Queen Victoria frowned although she complained bringing out the diamond and handing it to the Doctor.

"The purpose it was designed for."

"Rose." the Doctor ran to the controls of the telescope which began to rise. He pointed at the controls, "lift it. Come on."

"Is this the right time for stargazing?" Rose asked sarcastically not understanding why the Doctor was doing this.

"Yes, it is." He said back, "Rita stand here" he pointed next to Rose not noticing the plain empty look on the brunettes face, nothing like the ecstatic jumpy look she girl normally had.

"You said this thing doesn't work." Rose pointed out to the Doctor snipping the wheel on the controls moving the telescope up further and further.

"It doesn't work as a telescope because that's not what it is." He explained "It's a light chamber. It magnifies the light rays like a weapon. We've just got to power it up."

"It won't work. There's no electricity. Moonlight. But the wolf needs moonlight. It's made by moonlight." Rose spoke not having very much faith in the Doctors plan. Yet she continued to do as he said.

"You're seventy percent water but you can still drown." he pointed out as if his plan was very simple and clear however to Rose and most likely Rita when she was 'watching' the episode they didn't understand. "Come on! Come on!" The Doctor shouted just as the wolf broke into the room. The Doctor then slid the diamond under the telescope lens which caused a bright light to bounce inside it getting larger and larger the further down. The wolf charged over to Queen Victoria as the light hit the floor then reflecting upwards coming into contact with the wolf which howled in pain and then slowly rose from the floor. An outline of the wolf was left mid-air in the bright light before it changed into a young man.

"Make it brighter. Let me go." the wolf/man whispered. The Doctor compelled to the wolfs wishes brightening the light and setting the creature free causing it to change back into the wolf and then howl before vanishing the light following its path.

"Your Majesty? Did it bite you?" the Doctor spoke concerned slowly walking over to the Queen.

"No, it's, it's a cut, that's all." she denied. the Doctor knowing different pressed on with the subject.

"If that thing bit you"

"It was a splinter of wood when the door came apart. It's nothing." she waved the subject off. The Doctor, however, continued to press on slowly moving over to the Queen.

"Let me see." he ordered more than asked.

"It is nothing." Queen Victoria snapped her arm away, a scold on her face. "I'm perfectly fine.

"Ok then" the Doctor nodded finally letting the subject go.

\---------------------------------------------------------------- 

Rita, the Doctor and Rose were all kneeled down before the Queen and those who remained in the house. Queen Victoria herself held a sword and began to speak what looked like a knighting.

"By the power invested in me by the Church and the State, I dub thee Sir Doctor of Tardis." she stood before the Doctor placing the sword on both of his shoulders then standing back. "By the power invested in me by the Church and the State, I dub thee Dame Rose of the Powell Estate." She repeated the gesture and then once again for Rita who looked at the Doctor and Rose smiling. "By the power invested in me by the Church and the State, I dub thee Dame Rita of another world." she then finished stepping back "You may stand."

"Many thanks, Ma'am." The Doctor nodded smiling

"Thanks. They're never going to believe this back home." Rose grinned.

"Your Majesty, you said last night about receiving no message from the great beyond. I think your husband cut that diamond to save your life. He's protecting you even now, Ma'am, from beyond the grave."

"Indeed. Then you may think on this also." She paused and then added, "That I am not amused." 

"Yes!" Rose beamed throwing a fit into the air.

"Not remotely amused." the Queen continued "And henceforth I banish you Sir Doctor and Dame Rose." The TimeLord and Rose frowned in confusion. 

"I'm sorry?" the Doctor spoke up.

"I rewarded you, Sir Doctor, and now you are exiled from this empire, never to return." she began to explain. "I don't know what you are, the two of you, or where you're from, but I know that you consort with stars and magic and think it fun Dame Rita here warned you many times." the Queen smiled a little at Rita who bowed her head back. "But you did not listen to these warning, your world is steeped in terror and blasphemy and death, and I will not allow it. You will leave this shores and you will reflect, I hope, on how you came to stray so far from all that is good, and how much longer you will survive this terrible life, maybe dame Rita can bring you back to the good she is trying and I very much respect that." Rita just continued to smile which then sadly dropped remembering the course of last night. "Last night her face showed sadness, grief and lost, yours did not Sir Doctor. Now leave my world, and never return." She finally finished her speech and then adding after a moment of silence. "God help you Dame Rita"

\----------------------------------------------------------------

"I'm sorry-" the Doctor began to speak. The three sat on the back of a cart which was carrying them back to the TARDIS.

"Don't" Rita stopped him holding up her hand. "I'm fine really" she smiled sadly. "I couldn't stop it and I know that, it would have unknown horrible repercussions not just on this world but possibly mine and other worlds as well," Rita spoke her voice soft yet harsh holding onto the tears which she could feel slowly forming in her eyes. Rita wasn't one to cry very much but after seeing Isobel's face when she was getting knighted compared to the Doctor and Rose she felt guilty and upset. 

"I know how you feel Rita I can help-"

"That's the thing Doctor" she turned to him, a tear slowly making its way down her face escaping her glassy watery eyes. "You have no idea who I am or how I am even here" she waved her hands around gesturing to everywhere. "I have no idea what I am doing here and honestly it scares me. I know the future and there are things I can't stop or change and it hurts knowing the future" she sighed "I'll learn, though" gulping back the tears she looked up at him then moved her gaze over to Rose sitting beside her the blonde took her hand and smiled sadly. "Because if I want to find out why I am here then I might as well try to learn how to help." she smiled a little, not a sad smile but a genuine smile.

"I shouldn't have been careless and actually listened to you" the Doctor sighed. "At least I now know what to do." he grinned lighting the mood a little.

"Even you make mistakes every now and then." Rita joked chuckling a little.

"They say 'it's human to make mistakes', I guess you could also say that 'it's Time Lord to make mistakes' as well" Rose and Rita shook their heads at the silly comment.

The three traveled to the TARDIS chatting and watching the senary from the back of the cart the mood was brighter as the Doctor and his companions joked. He didn't forget about her or the Queens words for a single moment.  _'Her face showed sadness, grief and lost, yours did not Sir Doctor'_ He didn't even notice it. Too busy showing off as always but why? How could he not notice sure he didn't know the brunette for long but it troubled him that it didn't even cross his mind. not to mention her comment. _'You have no idea who I am'_ He sighed at the thought knowing it was very well true, Rita had only been traveling with the Doctor and Rose for just over a two weeks and honestly he didn't know very much about her, she kept quiet about most of her life apart from hobbies and where she lived he knew that her parents were not alive but didn't know what or how they were no longer living.  _I will find out Rita Stone._ Hethought to himself jumping of the cart with Rita and Rose when it came to a stop.

"Cheers, Dougal!" the Doctor waved at the man walking towards the small blue figure which was the TARDIS in the distance.

"Walk on."

"No, but the funny thing is, Queen Victoria did actually suffer a mutation of the blood." the Doctor explained to the girls. "It's historical record. She was haemophiliac. They used to call it the Royal Disease. But it's always been a mystery because she didn't inherit it. Her mum didn't have it, her dad didn't have it. It came from nowhere."

"What, and you're saying that's a wolf bite?" Rose questioned. Rita nodded in response the Doctor explained it.

"Well, maybe haemophilia is just a Victorian euphemism."

"For werewolf?" Rose raised a brow.

"Could be."

"Queen Victoria's a werewolf?" Rose laughed at the thought.

"Don't forget the rest of them" Rita snorted

"Could be. And her children had the Royal Disease. Maybe she gave them a quick nip." the Doctor joked while they continued to walk towards the TARDIS which was now quite close.

"So, the Royal Family are werewolves?" Rose double checked.

"Well, maybe not yet. I mean, a single wolf cell could take a hundred years to mature. Might be ready by, oh, early 21st century?"

"You're just saying that to be clever." Rita rolled her eyes. "Yes, they are werewolves Rose" Rita confirmed.

"Nah, that's just ridiculous!" she waved it off then thought for a moment. "Mind you, Princess Anne."

"I'll say no more." the Doctor grinned.

"And if you think about it, they're very private." she widened her eyes "They plan everything in advance. They could schedule themselves around the moon." she started to laugh. "We'd never know."

"They also enjoy hunting" Rita spoke up laughing along with the blonde the Doctor opened the TARDIS door he then walked in and held it open for the girls.

"They love blood sports. Oh my God, they're werewolves!" Rose concluded.

"God that's making me shiver at the thought of a wolf running the country. Very clever though" Rita nodded holding her arms and shivering. "Imagine if someone was to find out! No country would trust us again" Rita chuckled leaning against the console.

"Best not tell anyone then" the Doctor winked and then started to play with the console. The TARDIS then dematerialised the three burst out laughing at their conclusion on the Queen and the Royal family being werewolves.


	10. School Reunion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Been busy with college and sorting everything out for the new puppy I am getting next wednesday! His name is Jax and he is a black cockapoo! Definitely going to put tons of photos of the little guy up :)

"Good morning, class. Are we sitting comfortably?" the Doctor grinned while Rita groaned at the cringe of what he just said. He gave a playful glare at her after noticing the expression on her face and her body shivered, he then turned to the board proceeding to grab a pen and write large letters onto the white board.

 _'Why did I agree to this?'_ she thought. ' _I could be in the kitchen with Rose, instead, I'm stuck in a classroom, again.'_ Rita quietly groaned.

The Doctor turned back around to the class of kids that did not look like they were enjoying the class at all.  _'Honestly, I feel for you kids_ Rita thought. _I'm stuck pretending to be his teaching assistant. Great now I'm talking to myself it's year ten of school all over again.'_  Rita sighed

"So, physics. Physics, eh?" The Doctor began, pacing around the front of the desk then stopped next to Rita. "Physics. Physics. Physics!" he grinned at her then continued to ramble. "Physics. Physics, physics, physics, physics, physics, physics, physics." He then stopped. "I hope one of you is getting all this down."

"I'm most definitely not" Rita mumbled rolling her eyes the Doctor just continued grinning at her.

 _'So he's enjoying this? Time_ _Lord don't make me shave your hair off in your sleep, oh how Rose would kill me if I did that.'_ She chuckled at bit knowing that the blonde loved the Doctors hair even though she didn't know Rita knew that.

"Okay let's see what you know." the Doctor spoke snapping Rita back into reality. "Two identical strips of nylon are charged with static electricity and hung from a string so they can swing freely. What would happen if they were brought near each other?" he asked the class which were clearly bored, silent and not moving much like zombies who just couldn't move. Apart from one boy who's arm flew into the air. Rita grinned moving her head up in his direction.

"Yes, er, what's your name?" the Doctor asked the boy who looked pretty nerdy with thick glasses, not that Rita was judging or anything but he did look stereotypically like a young nerd that was constantly bullied.

"Milo." he replied placing his arm back on the table.

"Milo! Off you go." the Doctor smiled glad someone was paying attention.

"They'd repel each other because they have the same charge," Milo answered getting the question correct. 

"Correctamundo!"

Rita scrunched up her nose. The Doctor noticed then added: "A word I have never used before and hopefully never will again."

"I agree never, ever say that word again."

"If you wish" he grinned then continued to question the class "Question two. I coil up a thin piece of microwire and place it in a glass of water." he emphasised the word water making Rita chuckle. "Then I turn on the electricity and measure to see if the water's temperature is affected. My question is this. How do I measure the electrical power going into the coil?"

The young boy's hand shot up again, not even Rita knew the answer to that and she got an A+ in GCSE physics not that she liked to boast about it. The Doctor looked around at the bored zombie-like students.

"Someone else." He looked around the silent room and then pursed his lips "No? Okay, Milo, go for it." he nodded to the boy.

"Measure the current and PDs in an ammeter and a voltmeter."

"Two to Milo." The Doctor looked around the class once again. No one was paying any attention, he looked over to Rita who frowned at the class.

She never understood why the rest of the students apart from Milo were actually silent and extremely bored it was never mentioned in the 'episode' to her memory.

The Doctor placed his hand next to his mouth so the class could not see what he was saying and then mouthed over to her. 'Anything?' the brunette shrugged then mouthed back 'I don't know this sorry, try asking some more questions' she shrugged not being much help yet giving him a secret without making it too obvious. She generally had no idea with as to what was wrong with all the students, she knew about the chips and why they were smart but not the zombieness.

"Right then, Milo," the Doctor turned back to the boy following Rita's advice "tell me this. True or false. The greater the dampening of the system, the quicker it loses energy to its surroundings."

"False."

"What is non-coding DNA?" the Doctor countered.

"DNA that doesn't code for a protein." he fired back. Rita moved her eyes from the Doctor to the boy as if she was watching a tennis match.

"Sixty-five thousand nine hundred and eighty-three times five?"

"Three hundred and twenty-nine thousand nine hundred and fifteen," he said automatically without thinking. The Doctor frowned.

"How do you travel faster than light?"

"By opening a quantum tunnel with an FTL factor of thirty-six point seven recurring." the Doctor blinked, his jaw dropped and he watched the boy then turned to Rita her expression mimicking his.

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The Doctor and Rita were standing in the line of the canteen for lunch, an hour or so after the event with Milo. The canteen was silent to Rita and the Doctor's amazement.

Rita never expected it to actually be so quiet in the hall except for the sound of feet moving on the floor. They collected their food the Doctor grinning at Rose dressed as a dinner lady who looked extremely pissed. Rita sent the blonde a warm smile as she collected her food and followed the Doctor to a table.

"How was that possible?" Rita whispered sitting down next to the Doctor, feeling the silents a little unnerving. She pushed her plate aside not wanting to touch the krillitane oiled chips.

"You have the foreknowledge" he smirked pointing it out and raising a brow.

"Trying to get you thinking, you can be a little thick at times" she chuckled leaning back on her chair and crossing her arms.

"Oh really?" He raised a brow again.

"Really" Rita nodded. "So what do you think it is?" She stopped leaning on her chair and leant forward resting her elbow on the table holding her head up.

"Well something is definitely odd here"

"No kidding" Rita chuckled again. "Seriously, though. Ideas?"

"Why don't we ask the dinner lady?" he smirked noticing Rose heading their way.

"Two days," Rose spoke through gritted her teeth once she reached the table.

"Sorry, could you just?" the Doctor pointed to part of the table with a fork in his hand. "There's a bit of gravy." Rose sighed rolling her eyes and started to wipe where he supposedly pointed. "No, no, just, just there." he pointed a little to the left. Rita grinned shaking her head and hitting his arm a little.

"Two days, we've been here." Rose continued.

"Blame your boyfriend." The Doctor argued making an odd face at Rita when he swallowed a chip.

_'Now you're noticing it.'_

"He's the one who put us onto this. And he was right." He turned to Rita who nodded in agreement. "Boy in class this morning, got knowledge way beyond planet Earth."

"You eating those chips?" Rose asked changing the subject.

"Nope" Rita answered.

"Yeah, they're a bit different." he frowned at Rita.

"Yeah, I tried one" Rita lied not wanting to touch the chips at all, she knew they were harmless except for gaining some knowledge but still didn't want them. "Didn't like them at all"

"I think they're gorgeous." Rose stole a few of the Doctors chips. Rita chuckled and pushed her plate to the other side of the table, allowing her to take her own since she wasn't going to be eating them anytime soon. Rose grinned and sat down opposite Rita. "Wish I had school dinners like this." She said with a mouth stuffed full of chips.

"It's very well behaved, this place." The Doctor looked around the room at the quiet students.

"I was just thinking that" Rita agreed.

"Mmm." Rose hummed unable to speak through her mouth filled up to the brim with chips.

"I thought there'd be happy-slapping hoodies. Happy slapping hoodies with ASBOs. Happy slapping hoodies with ASBOs and ringtones. Huh? Huh?" Rita shook her head disapprovingly. "Oh, yeah. Don't tell me I don't fit in."

"You don't fit in," Rita smirked at the Doctor who just smirked back at the brunette who then shook her head after a few seconds and looked behind Rose's head to see a rather angry dinner lady walking up to them. "Heads up" she mumbled. Rose pushed the plate back to her and short daggers at the pair who bite their lips holding in a grin.

"You are not permitted to leave your station during a sitting."

"I was just talking to this teacher and teaching assistant." Rita groaned a little, in her opinion 'companion' was bad enough but assistant. No thank you.

"Hello." the Doctor smiled up at the dinner lady not looking the slightest bit amused.

"He doesn't like the chips." Rose mocked.

"The menu has been specifically designed by the headmaster to improve concentration and performance." The dinner lady said slightly angry.

 _'No it's just the oil'_ Rita thought smiling to herself.

The dinner lady then directed her attention to Rose "Now, get back to work."

"See? This is me. Dinner lady." Rose spun around walking back towards the kitchen.

"I'll have the crumble." The Doctor joked.

"Make that two" Rita joined in raising a finger in the air.

"I'm so going to kill you two." she sighed walking off.

Rita noticed out the corner of her eye that one of the maths teachers which she knew to be a krillitane had walked up to one of the tables seating a few students, she lightly hit the Doctors arm trying not to make it not too obvious for Mr Finch who Rita know fully well was watching the canteen from above. Rita got his attention just as the maths teacher began to talk.

"Melissa. You'll be joining my class for the next period. Milo's failed me," Rita looked over to the Doctor who frowned continuing to watch the teacher. "So it's time we moved you up to the top class." he turned to the boy Rita remembered as Kenny, the boy who helped save the world. "Kenny, not eating the chips?"

"I'm not allowed." he answered placing an empty packet of crisps in his sandwich box. 

"Luke. Extra class. Now." The teacher walked off out of the canteen.

"That was odd" the Doctor stated, turning away from the dinner table to Rita.

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After lunch, the Doctor and Rita headed to the staff room to do some exploring and 'investigating' before the next lesson began. The staff room held a few teachers sitting at a table chatting and a few standing around the room. The pair were talking to a teacher about how surprisingly clever the students were.

"Yesterday, I had a twelve-year-old girl give me the exact height of the Walls of Troy in cubits." he explained to them both.

"And, it's ever since the new headmaster arrived?"

"Finch arrived three months ago." he told the Doctor "Next day, half the staff got flu. Finch replaced them with that lot," he gestured over to some teachers at the other side of the staff room. Rita shivered a little then turned back trying not to draw attention to herself. "Except for the teacher you replaced," the teacher nodded to the Doctor "and that was just plain weird, her winning the lottery like that."

"How's that weird?" the Doctor asked.

"She never played. Said the ticket was posted through her door at midnight, and her teacher assistant was sacked except she did nothing wrong worked her for 5 years with no warnings or anything then she just goes."

"Hmm. The world is very strange."

"Sometimes I wonder if it's a little too strange" Rita chipped in. The door behind them then opened revealing the headmaster with a woman Rita knew from the 'show' as Sarah Jane Smith, Rita couldn't help but smile at the woman she noticed that the Doctor was also beaming away.

"Excuse me, colleagues." Mr Finch spoke up attracting everyone's attention his way. "A moment of your time. May I introduce Miss Sarah Jane Smith." He gestured to Sarah Jane. "Miss Smith is a journalist who's writing a profile about me for the Sunday Times. I thought it might be useful for her to get a view from the trenches, so to speak. Don't spare my blushes." The headmaster then left. 

_'Actually, she's investigating you lot.'_

Sarah Jane walked towards the Doctor and Rita after Finch exited the staff room. "Hello." she smiled.

"Oh, I should think so." the Doctor tried to contain his smiled which wasn't working so well.

"Lovely to meet you" Rita smiled shaking Sarah Janes hand.

"And, you are?" Sarah Jane smiled.

"Rita Stone" the brunette answered.

"Hm? Er, Smith. John Smith." Rita rolled her eyes making sure Sarah Jane didn't notice.

 _'Someone has a crush'_ Rita jokingly thought to herself.

"John Smith." Sarah Jane thought for a moment. "I used to have a friend who sometimes went by that name." 

"Well, it's a very common name."

Sarah countered: "He was a very uncommon man, I also knew someone who went by "Rita Stone sometimes." She smiled a little, Rita frowned slightly but shrugged it off as a coincidence. "Nice to meet you both."

"Nice to meet you." The Doctors grin grew. "Yes, very nice. More than nice. Brilliant."

Sarah Jane looked a little concerningly at the way he was looking at her. "Er, so, er, have you both worked here long?" She asked Rita and The Doctor.

"No. Er, it's only my second day." The Doctor replied.

"Same for me" Rita added crossing her arms.

"Oh, you're new, then. So, what do you think of the school? I mean, this new curriculum?" She asked. "So many children getting ill. Doesn't that strike you as odd?"

"Hmm" Rita nodded. "Very odd"

"You don't sound like someone just doing a profile." the Doctor pointed out grinning to himself proudly.

"Well, no harm in a little investigation while I'm here."

"No. Good for you." the Doctor mumbled. Sarah Jane then began to walk away heading towards other teachers. "Good for you. Oh, good for you, Sarah Jane Smith."

"God I'm surprised you didn't scare her" Rita rolled her eyes whispering quietly so the woman wouldn't hear. "You're like the Cheshire cat with that grin is just scary." She told him he looked at her shaking his head, "like it's giving me the creeps."

The Doctor looked around then began to whisper a little. "So being on a Dalek ship doesn't creep you out but my grin does?" he raised a brow smirking.

"How do you know I wasn't scared? I didn't have foreknowledge of that Doctor, I was terrified." Rita admitted whispering as well. "Always good to be a little scared, though? Right Doctor?"

"Right" he nodded in agreement. They both left the staff room to head back to the Physics class for another long lesson before the end of the day.

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Rose shuddered a little holding her elbows while following the Doctor into the school entrance "Oh, it's weird seeing school at night. It just feels wrong. When I was a kid, I used to think all the teachers slept in school."

"I know someone who used to think that. Told them all that there were secretly bats that lived in the roof" Rita joked making a reference to the actual 'episode'

"All right, team." The Doctor turned to Rose, Rita and Mickey "Oh, I hate people who say, team."

"You hate yourself?" Rita raised a brow. "Sorry continue"

"Er, gang. Er, comrades. Anyway," he began to instruct everyone. "Rose, Rita, go to the kitchen. Get a sample of that oil. Mickey, the new staff are all Maths teachers. Go and check out the Maths department. I'm going to look in Finch's office. Be back here in ten minutes." The Doctor then walked off leaving the three standing in the entrance.

"You going to be all right?" Rose looked at Mickey with a face   
"Me?" he looked at Rose offendedly "Please. Infiltration and investigation? I'm an expert at this." he began to walk off.

"Says the one who walked off in the wrong direction," Rita said under her breath. Mickey then shortly returned looking like an idiot.

"Where's the Maths department?"

Rose pointed down the corridor in the opposite direction. "Down there, turn left, through the fire doors, on the right."

"Thank you." he then walked in the correct direction.

"Let's go and find that oil" Rita smiled at the blonde as they both began to walk down the corridor. 

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The Doctor walked down the dark school hallway heading towards the TARDIS.

"Hello, Sarah Jane." said the Doctor in a monotone voice, Sarah Jane spun around her eyes wide.

"It's you. Oh, Doctor Oh, my God," she clasped a hand over her mouth "it's you, isn't it. You've regenerated." She smiled.

"Yeah. Half a dozen times since we last met."

"You look incredible." She spoke in shock.

"So do you."

"Huh. I got old." She denied the compliment. "What are you doing here?" Sarah Jane then asked.

"Well, UFO sighting, school gets record results. I couldn't resist. What about you?" He smiled at her proudly.

"The same." she then frowned. "I thought you'd died. I waited for you and you didn't come back, and I thought you must have died."

"I lived. Everyone else died," he said sadly looking down at the ground. "Everyone but her..." Hew sighed trailing off as Sarah Janer frowned. "Well, that's a lie in itself."

"What do you mean?" a frown formed on Sarah Janes face, she was confused with what he meant.

"Everyone died, Sarah."

"I can't believe it's you," Sarah Jane said again. The pair then snapped their heads in the direction of a high-pitched female scream.

"Okay, now I can!" she chuckled the pair both ran in the direction of the scream.


	11. School Reunion - Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve been busy at college and with my new puppy so I apologise that there hasn’t been many updates lately.

"What was that?" Rose asked running in the direction of the scream her and Rita also heard.

"Your boyfriend" Rita chuckled also running in the direction.

They ran in the direction and then bumped into Sarah Jane and the Doctor. "Great now this turns into a soap opera" Rita groaned. "I'm not getting into this" she held her hands up in defence. The Doctor raised a brow.

"Did you hear that?" Rose asked the Doctor then noticed Sarah Jane. "Who's she?"

"Rose, Sarah Jane. Sarah Jane, Rose." he introduced them.

"Should have known you were going to be here" Sarah Jane chuckled talking to Rita. "Lovely to see you again"

"Same with you Sarah Jane" Rita chuckled, Sarah Jane then turned to Rose "Hi. Nice to meet you." She then looked over at the Doctor "You can tell you're getting older. Your assistants are getting younger." Rita rolled her eyes at the comment. "No offence?" Sarah Jane stopped obviously forgetting the girl's name.

"Rita" the brunette smiled.

"Sorry not good with names"

"Neither am I" Rita agreed.

"I'm not his assistant," Rose commented sounding pissed off. "Can someone tell me what's going on?"

"Met Sarah Jane in the staff room earlier today. "Love your work by the way" Rita grinned while Sarah Jane frowned.

"Foreknowledge" The Doctor informed her. "She knows my future."

"And you're past. Also a little about Sarah Jane. I'm from the future he would probably call it a 'Parallel world'" she used her fingers as speech marks. "I'm human 100% human but somehow I ended up on a Dalek ship and met these two" She pointed at the Doctor and Rose with her thumb after telling the basic information.

"Sounds impossible." Sarah Jane smiled.

"He likes impossible" Rita grinned.

"Where is Mickey?" Rose crossed her arms getting annoyed that she was basically being ignored.

"Good question" the Doctor praised. "Let's go find out" he then ran down the hall followed by Rose, Rita ran beside Sarah Jane who was chatting to her while they ran.

"So you're from the future and a parallel world?" Sarah Jane asked.

"Yeah, in my world this" she gestured to everything around her as they ran. "Is just a TV show, kind of like Sherlock, ooh I wonder if there is a parallel universe where Sherlock is real" she thought out loud while chuckling.

"And you just turned up?" She asked.

"Pretty much yeah, you could call me 'the impossible girl' but there is already one of those" They continued to run and then stopped outside a room where Mickey was standing in front of a load of bags.

"Sorry! Sorry, it was only me." He held his hands up. "You told me to investigate, so I started looking through some of these cupboards and all of these fell on me."

"Oh, my God," Rose gasped holding a hand over her mouth. "They're rats. Dozens of rats. Vacuum packed rats."

"And you decided to scream." The Doctor raised a brow.

"It took me by surprise!" Mickey defended himself.

"Like a little girl?" he mocked Mickey.

"It was dark! I was covered in rats!" Mickey protested his voice raising a little.

"Nine, maybe ten years old. I'm seeing pigtails, frilly skirt."

"So I am" Rita joined in laughing.

"Hello, can we focus?" Rose groaned. "Does anyone notice anything strange about this? Rats in school?"

"Well, obviously they use them in Biology lessons." Rita nodded agreeing with Sarah Jane. "They dissect them. Or maybe you haven't reached that bit yet. How old are you?"

"Excuse me, no one dissects rats in school anymore." Rose spat in annoyance. "They haven't done that for years. Where are you from, the dark ages?" She sassed.

"I dissected rats in year eleven of school and I'm from the future" Rita defended Sarah Jane. "Ah the digestive system, fun times."

"Anyway, moving on." The Doctor scratched the back of his neck not enjoying the arguing. "Everything started when Mister Finch arrived. We should go and check his office." They left the bags of rats and headed for the headmasters office.

"They're not going to stop arguing," Rita whispered to the Doctor.

"They will work it out-"

"I don't mean to be rude or anything, but who exactly are you?" Rose turned to Sarah Jane.

"Hopefully" He groaned in annoyance.

"They will" Rita smiled then slowed down to walk beside Sarah Jane and Rose.

"Sarah Jane Smith. I used to travel with the Doctor." Sarah Jane said proudly.

"Oh. Well, he's never mentioned you." Rose smugly grinned.

"Oh, I must've done." The Doctor frowned thinking. "Sarah Jane. Mention her all the time."

"Hold on." Rose thought for a moment. "Sorry. Never."

"What, not even once?" Sarah Jane looked at the Doctor not believing a word Rose was saying. "He didn't mention me even once?"

"Ho, ho, mate. The missus and the ex." Mickey patted the Doctors shoulder. "Welcome to every man's worst nightmare."

"God Mickey you don't know what to keep yourself quiet" Rita rolled her eyes.

The group walked the rest of the way in silence, Rita could see Rose and Sarah Jane giving each other dirty looks. ' _If they don't stop soon I'm going to have to do something to at least get the comments to stop.'_  Rita groaned not wanting to take sides with either of the companions since she very much loved them both.  _No_ Rita thought  _Not getting involved, not getting involved, I'm not getting involved._ She repeated in her head over and over to stop herself and to block out the dreary silence.

The Doctor used his sonic screwdriver to unlock the door to Mr Finches office, the buzz of the screwdriver being the only sound in the school.

"Rita," the Doctor said breaking the 3 minutes or so of silence. "You know you used to say that there were bats in the school? You were right."

Mickey looking in the room turned and ran out. "No way!" Mickey shouted sprinting in the opposite direction of the headmaster's office, heading for the entrance to escape the school, Rose then followed after him not running as fast, however.

The Doctor and Rita looked at each other for a moment before he closed the door and walked in the direction that Mickey had run in moments before.

"What was that?" Sarah Jane asked following the Doctor and Rita.

"Rita?" The Doctor raised a brow.

"Secret: It's alien" She grinned.

"Well, I guessed that?" He rolled his eyes. "You are hard work sometimes."

"Can't give you all the answers. Would be no fun otherwise" Rita grinned smugly. "But seriously you might want to check the oil"

The Doctor nodded as the three walked out of the school.

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"I am not going back in there. No way." Mickey panted arching over and holding his knees to support his weight.

"Those were teachers," Rose said in disbelief.

"Thirteen" Rita mumbled.

"When Finch arrived," the Doctor started to talk "he brought with him seven new teachers, four dinner ladies and a nurse. Thirteen. Thirteen big bat people."

"And a TARDIS in a school" Rita chuckled. "No? Seriously it reminded me of the twelve days of Christmas the TARDIS was all I could think of" Rita shrugged.

"Come on." The Doctor turned around, Sarah Jane followed along with Rose heading back into the school.

"Come on? You've got to be kidding!" Mickey said in shock.

"I need the Tardis. I've got to analyse that oil from the kitchen."

"I might be able to help you there. I've got something to show you."

"Now this is where I start to enjoy myself" Rita mumbled following Sarah Jane to a car.

Sarah Jane opened the boot to her car showing the shape of something under a white sheet.

"May I?" Rita looked at Sarah Jane who nodded smiling. Rita grinned and then dramatically pulled the sheet away showing a damaged metal dog sitting in the boot.

"K9!" said the Doctor excitedly. "Rita Stone, Rose Tyler, Mickey Smith, allow me to introduce K9. well, K9 Mark Three to be precise."

"Why does he look so disco?" Rose frowned not looking very impressed.

"Oi!" he looked offended. "Listen, in the year five thousand, this was cutting edge."

"K9 is cool, just like bowties and Fezzes" Rita grinned the Doctor looked at her confused.

"Bowties?" He questioned.

"Fezzes?" Sarah Jane also questioned the brunette most likely thinking she was going crazy, which to be fair knowing the outcome of everything going to happen was making her a little odd.

"Don't worry it's secrets." She shook her head and began to pat K9

The Doctor then asked: "What's happened to him?"

"Oh, one day, he just, nothing."

"Well, didn't you try and get him repaired? " He questioned as if it was just as simple as that.

"Well, it's not like getting parts for a Mini Metro, Beside, the technology inside him could rewrite human science. I couldn't show him to anyone."

"Ooh, what's the nasty lady done to you, eh?" he scratched K9 behind the what would be the ear and spoke to the metal dog as if he was real. Rita snorted at the way he was talking. Sarah Jane then began to pet him as well.

"Look, no offence," Rose huffed feeling left out. "But could you three just stop petting for a minute? Never mind the tin dog. We're busy."

"She has a point" Rita sighed. "Can you fix him?" Rita looked up at the Doctor suggesting a secret which he grinned understanding what she meant.

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The group were in a chip shops Rita, Rose and Mickey were standing waiting for the chips to be ready for collection while the Doctor and Sarah Jane were talking while fixing K9 "You see, what's impressive" Mickey began and Rita groaned a little knowing what he was going to say. "I s that it's been nearly an hour since we met her and I still haven't said I told you so."

"I'm not listening to this." Rose put her hands up.

"You and me both" Rita groaned.

"Although, I have prepared a little I was right dance that I can show you later." Mickey continued. Rose handed the money to the woman and collected the chips. "All this time you've been giving it, he's different, when the truth is, he's just like any other bloke." Mickey pressed on with the subject.

"Mickey you have no idea what you're going on about." Rita began to lecture him having had enough of the topic. "The Doctor isn't just 'like any other bloke' he's 900 or so years old for goodness sake I don't know why Sarah Jane and Rose are making it a competition over the Doctor but getting involved isn't going to help."

"Mickey, you don't know what you're talking about." Rose sided with Rita not denying the competitive comment made by the brunette.

"Maybe not. But if I were you I'd go easy on the chips." Rose paused noticing she was throwing a chip in her mouth almost every second.

"I'm going over to them, maybe they won't argue" Rita sighed walking over to the Doctor and Sarah Jane.

"I thought of you on Christmas Day." Rita heard the woman talking. "This Christmas just gone? Great big spaceship overhead. I thought, oh yeah, bet he's up there." Rita grinned.

"I saw it well probably not everything but most of it. Lazy Time Lord was too busy sleeping because he saved Rose and had to regenerate. So Rose, Mickey and the prime minister had to do his dirty work. That was until he woke up started to mimic the Sycorax, start to sword fight it then gets his hand cut off and then grown a 'fightin' hand'" She copied how the Doctor said it in the 'episode' "That sum it up Doctor?"

"Pretty much yeah" he smiled shaking his head "You wasn't even there"

"And Rose?" Sarah Jane asked.

"She was there."

"Did I do something wrong?" she asked him. "Because you never came back for me. You just dumped me."

"I told you. I was called back home and in those days humans weren't allowed," he replied.

"I waited for you." She then paused. "I missed you." Rita's face fell for the woman, she saw many of the Doctors companions get 'left behind' Some because they had no choice, they forgot him and some needed to get out.

"Oh, you didn't need me." he shrugged at her. "You were getting on with your life." 

"You were my life." she sighed. "You know what the most difficult thing was? Coping with what happens next, or with what doesn't happen next. You took me to the furthest reaches of the galaxy, you showed me supernovas, intergalactic battles, and then you just dropped me back on Earth." She then asked an impossible question to answer, yet the Doctor had an answer every time. "How could anything compare to that?"

"All those things you saw, do you want me to apologise for that?" He asked.

"No," Sarah Jane said quickly. "But we get a taste of that splendour and then we have to go back."

"Look at you, you're investigating. You found that school. You're doing what we always did."

"You could have come back." she pressed on.

"I couldn't."

"Why not?" He ignored her question as if it never happened, continuing to work on and mess around with K9 Rita looked at her with sympathy understanding what she was going through even when she had never gone through it herself. Sarah Jane looked at her and smiled sadly thinking that one day that would be Rita and Rose just left or taken away Rita would most likely go back to her universe and never see the Doctor again. Rose would probably go back home.

"It wasn't Croydon. Where you dropped me off, that wasn't Croydon." Sarah Jane spoke up. Rita chuckled rolling her eyes.

"That sounds like something he would do"

"Where was it?" he asked sending a playful glare at Rita.

"Aberdeen."

"Right. That's next to Croydon, isn't it?" he asked obviously knowing that it definitely was not.

"God help you in my old geography class," Rita muttered just as K9 came on lighting up and moving his head.

"Oh, hey. Now we're in business." the Doctor stepped back watching the metal dog.

"Master." He spoke in what Rita though was an adorable voice.

"He recognises me." The Doctor beamed in amazement.

"Affirmative."

"He's adorable" Rita smiled patting K9's head.

"Rose, give us the oil." he gestured to her not turning back from the metal dog.

"I wouldn't touch it, though." She said walking over and handing a small pot filled with the oil. "That dinner lady got all scorched."

"I'm no dinner lady. And I don't often say that." He stuck a finger into the pot and collected some of the oil then smeared it on K9's probe sticking out of his head.

"Yeah add that to long list of words you will never say again, right under 'correctamundo'"

He finished smearing the oil on while playfully glaring at Rita again. "Here we go. Come on, boy. Here we go."

"Oil. Ex... Ex... Ex" K9 stuttered most likely still 'booting up' "extract. Ana ana analysing."

"Listen to him, man. That's a voice." Mickey laughed.

"Careful. That's my dog." Sarah Jane warned him, Mickey held his hands up apologetically.

"Confirmation of analysis. Substance is Krillitane Oil." K9 concluded.

"They're Krillitanes." The Doctor mumbled standing back a little.

"Is that bad?" Rose asked.

"Very." He thought of how to describe it. "Think of how bad things could possibly be, and add another suitcase full of bad."

"Then add another" Rita added.

"And what are Krillitanes?" Sarah Jane questioned not having come across them before.

"They're a composite race." The Doctor started to explain what the Krillitans were to the group, Rita already knowing just patted K9 not really listening to the whole description. "Just like your culture is a mixture of traditions from all sorts of countries, people you've invaded or have been invaded by. You've got bits of Viking, bits of France, bits of whatever. The Krillitanes are the same. An amalgam of the races they've conquered. But they take physical aspects as well." Rita shrivelled her nose at the thought of literally having parts of you ripped off for the Krillitans to do as they pleased. "They cherry pick the best bits from the people they destroy. That's why I didn't recognise them. The last time I saw Krillitanes, they looked just like us except they had really long necks."

"And now they look like big bats" Rita crossed her arms and leant on the table. "Big ugly bats"

"What're they doing here?" Rose asked mainly at Rita and the Doctor

"It's the children. They're doing something to the children." The Doctor mumbled. "Rita anything?"

"Hmmm," She hummed and tapped her chin for emphasis. "Secret: Fish and chips." The Doctor nodded most likely not fully understanding but not pressing on with asking for any more secrets, instead, he instructed Mickey to help Sarah Jane carry K9 they both exited the small ironic fish and chips shop heading for Sarah Janes car.

"How many of us have there been travelling with you?" Rose blurted out just after Sarah Jane and Mickey left.

"Does it matter?" The Doctor asked.

"Yeah, it does, if I'm just the latest in a long line."

"As opposed to what?" the Doctor questioned

"I thought you and me were."

"Rose" Rita spoke up warning the blonde who ignored her warning.

"I obviously got it wrong. I've been to the year five billion, right, but this? Now, this is really seeing the future. You just leave us behind. Is that what you're going to do to me and Rita?

"No. Not to you."

"What about Rita?" Rose countered.

"No" was all he replied.

"But Sarah Jane?"

"Rose stop it That's-" Rita tried to warn the blonde again knowing what was to come next broke the Doctor and Rose's hearts and quite possibly Rita's heart as well.

"You were that close to her once, and now you never even mention her. Why not?" Rose continued to throw questions at the Time Lord.

"I don't age." The Doctor said coldly "I regenerate. But humans decay. You wither and you die. Imagine watching that happen to someone who you" he paused and looked between Rita and Rose.

"What, Doctor?"

"Rose stop it, can't you see?" Rita spat having enough of getting ignored. "It's clearly hurting you and him" she pointed to them both. "He's a Time Lord, how old is he Rose?" Rita asked having enough of the constant arguing going on for the day. "How old is he?" she repeated this time talking a lot harsher.

"Rita" The Doctor placed his hand on her arm speaking calmly and softly.

"Say it" Rita calmed down looking at the floor. "Tell her what she needs to know but don't say it how I know you would say it, Doctor"

Although he had no idea what she was talking about he spoke calmly and slowly not like how she knew he had said it in the 'episode' not coldly and harsh but calm and slow. "You can spend the rest of your life with me, but I can't spend the rest of mine with you. I have to live on. Alone. That's the curse of the Time Lords."

Rose sighed speechlessly. "Sorry" was all she mumbled the only word she could say before leaving the shop and joining Sarah Jane and Mickey, plastering a fake smile on her face hiding the broken pain now hidden in her heart, she saw the way Rita looked at him and how he switched his gaze between the brunette and herself when talking about watching people wither and die.

Rita sighed breaking the few seconds of tension and silence in the shop. "What's the plan then?" She asked although she knew the plan she was trying to lighten the mood a little and talk to the Doctor, the brunette was still leaning against the table the Doctor standing next to her arms folded just like she was, however, he was facing the table instead of away.

"Go back to the school tomorrow and have a word with Mister Finch" he replied. "I know you won't like it but you need to go with Sarah and Rose. Try and sort those two out, Mickey can be on dog watch."

"Alway going alone with you" Rita joked shaking her head. "Oh and if they're laughing their heads off tomorrow for some reason don't take it personally" She patted his shoulder, winked then walked out of the shop leaving the Doctor confused.

Rita looked up at the sky and groaned when she saw a Krillitan perched on top of a building. Realising it had been noticed it dived down towards her. Rita ducked, the Krillitan barely missing her head.

"You alright?" The Doctor ran out of the shop and over to Rita.

"Was that a Krillitane?" Sarah Jane asked rushing over to the brunette who was crouched down beside the Doctor.

"But it didn't even touch her. It just flew off. What did it do that for?" Rose asked

"I don't even know what it did that for" Rita muttered watching the Krillitain fly away past the moon.

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The Doctor, Rose, Sarah Jane, Rita and Mickey all excited Sarah Janes car and stood watching the children enter the school. When nearly everyone had entered the building The Doctor began to explain to Rose, Sarah Jane and Mickey what they would have to do.

"Rose and Sarah, you go to the Maths room along with Rita. Crack open those computers, I need to see the hardware inside. Here, you might need this." He took the sonic out of his pocket both Sarah Jane and Rose held out their hands. Rita frowned.  _That's not how it's meant to go?_ Instead, the Doctor handed it to Rita. She just continued to frown a large crease forming on her forehead.

"Mickey, surveillance. I want you outside." The Doctor ordered.

"Just stand outside?" Mickey sighed thinking that he was just 'the tin dog'.  _One day Mickey._

"Here, take these you can keep K9 company." Sarah Jane threw her car keys over to him. The four then began to turn and head inside the school. The Doctor slowed down a little to walk beside Rita, she looked confused earlier and he wanted to know exactly why.

"Don't forget to leave the window open a crack." He said seriously over his shoulder.

"But he's metal!" Mickey shouted raising his arms up like the Doctor was being an idiot.

"I didn't mean for him." The Doctor shouted back.

"What're you going to do?" Rose asked.

"It's time I had a word with Mister Finch." He replied. "Rita" he held onto her arm as she began to walk away following Rose and Sarah Jane.

"Hmm?" she hummed turning around then noticing the Doctor holding her arm. She raised a brow and he quickly let go.

"You looked confused earlier?" He raised his eyebrows.

"Oh, it's nothing." She waved it off then turned around again to continue walking, the Doctor being stubbed grabbed her arm again pulling her back around to face him. "Fine" she sighed. He let go of her yet again knowing she was now going to talk. "In the 'episode'" she did a gesture with her hands for speech marks "Only Rose was meant to put her hand out for the Sonic screwdriver, but they both did and then you gave it to me. It's not meant to go like that you were meant to give it to Sarah Jane."

"Rita" he shook his head chuckling a little. "Sometimes things don't go the way that you see them. Little differences are normal especially in a parallel universe, it's the big differences you should worry about not the little ones. Plus is it a bad thing that I gave you my sonic screwdriver?" He raised a brow in question.

"No, no not really" Rita shrugged "I just thought that it had to do exactly as planned. I noticed a few changes but they bent around me so I just figured it was because I was here but even when I was Sarah Jane should have had the screwdriver.

"Well, I guess you have it now" He grinned. "You better go catch up with those two, gods only knows what they could be arguing about, I also need to go find Mister Finch."

"See you soon Doctor" Rita nodded then turned towards the school and ran inside. The Doctor sighed deeply then followed the brunette.


	12. School Reunion - Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s been a bit of a while but I am back with my all time favourite OC!

"Where have you been?" Rose asked Rita as she ran up to them leaning next to the door of the maths computer room. "The doors locked and we can't get in"

"I was busy" Rita mumbled opening the door with the sonic screwdriver.

"Busy?" Rose raised a brow and Sarah Jane shook her head smirking getting an idea of what Rita was doing possibly with a certian Doctor.

"Not like that" Rita groaned rolling her eyes and walking into the classroom heading straight for a computer.

"Here you take it Sarah Jane I feel sick after that" Rita made the excuse without even thinking about it giving Sarah Jane the sonic screwdriver. Sarah Jane took the screwdriver and leaned over a computer attempting to open it she hit the screwdriver with her hand lightly a few times then groaned.

"It's not working" she mumbled trying again.

"Give it to me" Rose walked over and took the screwdriver off of Sarah Jane then began to sonic at the computer.

"Used to work first time in my day." Sarah Jane commented crossing her arms clearly annoyed that the screwdriver was not working for her.

"Well, things were a lot simpler back then." Rose snapped at the woman.

"Rose, can I give you a bit of advice?" Sarah Jane asked noticing that Rita had left the room to give her and Rose some time (and space) to work things out.

"I've got a feeling you're about to," Rose muttered.

"I know how intense a relationship with the Doctor can be, and I don't want you to feel I'm intruding."

"I don't feel threatened" She paused then also noticed Rita was no longer with the two of them "by you if that's what you mean."

"But Rita?" Sarah Jane whispered raising a brow.

"A little" Rose mumbled sighing holding the sides of her arms across her chest.

"She doesn't mean it, Rose, I can see it in her eyes even if she doesn't know she knows it yet trust me, anyways that's good for me because I'm not interested in picking up where we left off."

"No? With the big sad eyes and the robot dog? What else were you doing last night?" Rose spoke sarcastically trying to possibly hurt the woman but having no effect.

"I was just saying how hard it was adjusting to life back on Earth."

"The thing is when you two met they'd only just got rid of rationing. No wonder all that space stuff was a bit too much for you." Rose snapped not caring about Sarah Janes feelings anymore.

"I had no problem with space stuff. I saw things you wouldn't believe." Sarah Jane snapped back at Rose knowing that being passive was getting them both nowhere.

"Try me," Rose commented. Rita heard this from outside the room. She slowly entered the room again trying not to interrupt the two.

"Mummies."

"I've met ghosts." Rose tried to one up the woman.

"Robots. Lots of robots."

"Slitheen, in Downing Street."

"Daleks!"

Rose scoffed "Met the Emperor."

"Anti-matter monsters."

"Gas masked zombies."

"Real living dinosaurs."

"Real living werewolf."

"The Loch Ness Monster!"

"Deadly statues" Rita spoke up just wanting to get something out of this conversation the two turned to her and raised a brow. "Well, technically not yet but I have seen them and I now know that they're real"

"Seriously?" Rose chuckled a little. "Listen to us. It's like me and my mate Shireen. The only time we fell out was over a man, and we're arguing over the Doctor." She shook her head then perched herself on the edge of the computer desks, Rita walked over moved a chair and sat down placing her legs on the desk and resting her arms on her head looking very comfortable.

"With you, did he do that thing where he'd explain something at like, ninety miles per hour, and you'd go, what? and he'd look at you like you'd just dribbled on your shirt?" Rose asked.

"All the time." she laughed. "Does he still stroke bits of the Tardis?"

"Yeah! Yeah, he does. I'm like, do you two want to be alone?" Rose wiped her eyes and raised her brow, they continued to laugh while Rita sat there just enjoying herself and the two finally not arguing she noticed the Doctor walk in and raise a brow.

"How's it going?" He asked not questioning the two as to why they were laughing. They both started to laugh louder and have to rest there hands on their knees to keep upright.

"What?" He looked at them and then Rita who just shrugged. "Listen, I need to find out what's programmed inside these." Sarah Jane and Rose then laughed even louder.

"I did warn you yesterday Doctor" Rita grinned smugly.

"What? Stop it!" he ordered like a small child. Rita walked over and patted his shoulder. "Not sure how you're going to calm them down sorry, also I need to borrow the psychic paper, please?"

"What for?"

"Secrets" Rita winked at him.

"Is it dangerous?" He asked frowning.

"Most definitely, won't get me killed though" she grinned innocently. "I know what I'm doing Doctor, Foreknowledge remember?"

"Sometimes I don't trust you Rita Stone." He shook his head reaching into the inside of his coat pocket. Sarah Jane and Rose were now on the floor in hysterics.

"Ah but you trust me really" She joked as he handed her the psychic paper and then watched her walk off grinning to herself.

The brunette headed for the staff room, noticing that all the students were now heading inside she mentally groaned and started to run over trying to stop the Krillitanes from having their 'lunch'.

"Are you alright miss?" Multiple students had asked Rita on her way to the staff room. She tried to 'speed walk' past the students not to worry them however it was too slow and she had to pick up the pace changing the walk into a run. After arriving she noticed moat of the staff were inside she stood outside the door and breathed in deeply, this she had no ideas how it turned out the foreknowledge didn't include her decisions as she was never in the 'show'.

"Excuse me?" Rita spoke out loud noticing that thankfully none of the maths teachers were in the staff room. "Mister Finch says he wants you all to meet him in the science department preferably Mister Smiths room, told me to tell you to wait for him there. She held up the psychic paper.

The teachers nodded and then headed towards what was the Doctors class room which lucky was in the opposite direction to where Mister Finch and his Krillitane maths staff were coming in.

Rita followed the staff unaware of their boss being an alien that wanted to eat them to the class room and waited for them to enter before shutting the door and placing a lock on it. It wasn't anything like the Doctors sonic screwdriver but she knew he needed that so she had to do with second best. Lucky she eyed the lock and picked it up before exiting the staff room.

The brunette pleased with her work ran back to the maths computer room the Doctor, Rose and Sarah Jane were ingoing the long way round so she wouldn't bump into any Krillitane and become a snack before taking over the world and being stopped by the TimeLord. The halls were now almost silent and she knew that the students were almost all in their 'maths lesson' the brains of over one hundred children being used to take over the world.

\----------------------------------------------------------------

"Where have you been?" The Doctor asked not looking up from the CPU he was trying to get into.

"Lunch is meant to be around twelve, not eleven, had to stop it." She grinned, the Doctor looked up pausing what he was doing.

"Seriously?" He raised his eyebrows guessing what she was talking about.

"No" she lied  "of course, I had to. The poor staff are probably scared for their lives stuck in your classroom."

"Why did you send them there and how did you keep them in there?"

"Well since you needed your sonic screwdriver and You don't exactly have a spare I found a big thick old lock in the staff room and used that." Rita grinned proudly.

"Oh, you are brilliant Rita!" He grinned hugging her then turning back to the CPU. "But I can't shift it."

"I thought the sonic screwdriver could open anything!" Sarah Jane said surprised that it couldn't unlock the CPU

"Anything except a deadlock seal." The Doctor sighed.

"And wood, you would think that he would change that considering his ship is made of that on the outside. A lot of 'wood' mentioned in the sentence," Rita thought out loud.

"And wood" the Doctor groaned in annoyance but not at the brunette. "There's got to be something inside here." He hit the computer trying to get it to work.

"That won't help you Doctor" Rita chuckled a little at how thick he was acting for a 900-year-old TimeLord that was no doubt smarter than the entire human race.

"What're they teaching those kids?" He rhetorically asked himself. "Rita?" he sighed.

"I don't know Doctor"

"What do you mean you don't know?" Sarah Jane asked. "I thought you had foreknowledge.

"I don't know everything, I am only human" Rita sighed. "Just have to keep trying Doctor somethings bound to happen.

The Doctor continued to try and open the CPU while Rita, Sarah Jane and Rose stayed out of the way and waited, they all jumped back when the computer monitor it suddenly switched itself on.

"You wanted the programme? There it is." Sarah Jane pointed out that the computer was now on.

"Some sort of code." The Doctor frowned his eyes then widened "No. No, that can't be." The Doctor slowly walked towards the large screen at the front of the room, his face full of horror and his eyes widened. "The Skasis Paradigm."He identified it as "They're trying to crack the Skasis Paradigm."

"The Skasis what?" He gritted his teeth not looking over at Sarah Jane. "The God-maker. The universal theory. Crack that equation and you've got control of the building blocks of the universe. Time and space and matter, yours to control."

"What, and the kids are like a giant computer?" Rose asked frowning. "Yes." The Doctor turned around. "And their learning power is being accelerated by the oil." He cracked it. "That oil from the kitchens, it works as a, as a conducting agent. Makes the kids cleverer."

"But that oil's on the chips. I've been eating them." Rose eyes widened

"What's fifty-nine times thirty-five?"

 _"T_ _wo thousand and sixty five.'_ Rita thought

"Two thousand and sixty-five. Oh, my God." Rose answered automatically

 _'Wait what.'_ Rita thought her mouth dropped open. No one else noticing the brunettes expression. ' _I haven't even touched the chips and there is no way I remembered that'_

"But why use children?" Sarah Jane asked. "Can't they use adults?"

"No, it's got to be children. The God maker needs imagination to crack it. They're not just using the children's brains to break the code, they're using their souls." The Doctor gritted his teeth again. Rita looked over her shoulder at the computer. She slowly walked over to it in the corner like it was pulling her in. She had no control.

"Let the lesson begin." Finch spoke proudly of his work. The Doctor, Rose and Sarah Jane all turned round. Finch noticed Rita over by the computer and grinned then flicked his eyes away from the brunette before the Doctor or the other two females noticed "Think of it, Doctor. With the Paradigm solved, reality becomes clay in our hands. We can shape the universe and improve it."

"Oh yeah? The whole of creation with the face of Mister Finch? Call me old-fashioned, but I like things as they are." He mocked the Krillitane.

"You act like such a radical, and yet all you want to do is preserve the old order? Think of the changes that could be made if this power was used for good." He attempted to persuade the Doctor.

"What, by someone like you?"

"No, someone like you. The Paradigm gives us power, but you could give us wisdom. Become a God at my side. Imagine what you could do. Think of the civilisations you could save." He hit the Doctor where it really hurt. Who he could save. "Perganon, Assinta. Your own people, Doctor, standing tall." Finch grinned seeing how it effected him. "The TimeLords reborn."

"Doctor, don't listen to him." She tried to help.

Finch snapped his head over to Sarah Jane. "And you could be with him throughout eternity. Young, fresh, never wither, never age, never die." He turned back to the Doctor smiling again. "Their lives are so fleeting. So many goodbyes. How lonely you must be, Doctor. Join us. "

"I could save everyone." He murmured thinking aloud.

"Yes." Finch cooed.

"I could stop the war."

"No." Sarah Jane snapped. "The universe has to move forward. Pain and loss, they define us as much as happiness or love. Whether it's a world, or a relationship, everything has its time. And everything ends."

"What lovely words miss Smith. It's a shame you're not as clever as your brunette friend over there, ruined my lunch and didn't even eat a single chip." Mister Finch moved his gaze from Sarah Jane over to Rita grinning madly. The Doctor snapped out of the moment picked up a chair throwing it at the huge screen at the front then turned to Rita pulling her away from the computer by her arm.

"Out!" He shouted switching from grabbing hold of Rita's arm to the brunette's hand and pulling her away.  _'How?'_ The same word repeatedly came up in his mind as he ran heading out of the room taking the lead. still holding onto Rita.

"What the hell happened?!" Rose shouted following the Doctor and Rita in the corridor.

"I- I don't know. It's like it pulled me in" Rita stuttered trying to explain.

"But he said you didn't touch the chips?!" Sarah Jane also shouted.

"Not the time!" The Doctor shouted back turning a corner and running down the stairs.

"I didn't-" Rita began to talk.

The Doctor then interrupted her speech. "Like I said, not the time we can talk about this later" he cut her off continuing to run down the stairs.

"What is going on?" Mickey who then turned his head looking up the stairs at the sound of deadly krillitanes not that far away from the group.

"That explain it?" Rita snapped not understanding why she did.

"Canteen lets go!" The Doctor shouted running in the direction of the canteen. Rita felt her body jolt almost falling over at the sudden sprint made by the Doctor who forgot his hand was still firmly connected to the brunettes mainly because he knew that the krillitanes will no doubt want her for her unbelievablely smart mind that he still couldn't figure out how it was possible but also because somewhere inside him in a tiny corner of the TimeLord's body even when he wanted to deny it so very much, he though it just felt right.

"Are they my teachers?" Kenny asked in shock noticing the Krillitane behind him as they ran into the canteen

"Yeah. Sorry." The Doctor said not very sincerely.

"We need the Doctor and the young brunette alive. She has a clever mind." Finch grinned staring right at Rita until the Doctor stepped in front of her blocking the Krillitanes view. "As for the others? You can feast."

The group all dived under different tables the Doctor pulling Rita to the ground with him causing her to crash to the floor. Rita saw a krillitane dive down at her, she closed her eyes waiting for the impact and the pain but then noticed there was none, slowly opening her eyes she jumped back right into the Doctor who also jumped at the sudden movement. The Krillitane which had dived to attack was now lying right in front of her unconscious or possibly dead.

"K9! " Sarah Jane shouted proudly grinning at the metal dog.

"Suggest you engage running mode, mistress."

"Come on!" The Doctor pulled Rita out from under the table and let her go to help Rose. He made sure all of the companions got out of the canteen safety before ordering: "K9, hold them back!"

"Affirmative, master." He obeyed. "Maximum defence mode." He ran out the canteen in the same direction that the others had gone in while K9 shot at the Krillitane defending him. "Power supply failing," K9 stated.

"Forget the shooty dog thing." Mister Finch spat

"Power supply failing," K9 mentioned again.

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Rose, Rita, The Doctor, Sarah Jane, Mickey and Kenny were all in one of the psychics class rooms.

"It's the oil." The Doctor widened his eyes in realisation. "Krillitane life forms can't handle the oil. That's it!" He started to pace around the room.

"They've changed their physiology so often, even their own oil is toxic to them." He turned to Rita and Rose to ask them both: "How much was there in the kitchens?

"Barrels of it." Rose answered quite literally meaning barrels upon barrels.

The group changed there gaze from each other and focused on the door which was getting shaken by what was most likely the Krillitanes outside trying to get in.

"Okay," the Doctor said calmly thinking fir a moment. "we need to get to the kitchens. Mickey." He turned to the man.

"What now, hold the coats?" He asked sarcastically.

"Get all the children unplugged and out of the school." He ordered not commenting on the mans sarcasm. "Now then, bats, bats, bats." He looked around the room then looked over to Rita who nodded knowing what the Doctor meant by looking over at the brunette. "How do we fight bats?"

"Kenny" Rita looked from the Doctor to the child grinning. Kenny looked around then slammed his fist into the fire alarm next to him. Almost automatically the ringing if the bell blared out around the entire school.

The group could hear the Krillitanes shrieks and cries of pain outside. The humans and the TimeLord opened the door and ran past the Krillitanes which were clutching their heads hunched over there wings flapping about.

"Master."

"Come on, boy." The Doctor cooed K9 to follow. "Good boy." He ran to the door heading into the kitchen and unlocked it with the sonic screwdriver.   
Rita and Rose ran in first over to the barrels of Krillitane oil. He began to try and open a barrel of oil. "They've been deadlock sealed." He groaned. "Finch must've done that. I can't open them."

"Of cause you can't" Rita sighed. "For a bat he's not stupid." The Doctor nodded at her comment then tried to open another barrel.

"The vats would not withstand a direct hit from my laser," K9 spoke up. "But my batteries are failing. " The Doctors face fell knowing what will happen. "Right. Everyone out the back door. K9, stay with me."

"You" Rita pointed to the Doctor. "Don't do anything stupid" she ran out the back door following the others. She knew he wouldn't but it was good to just be safe.

"What is he doing?" Sara Jane asked Rita after she appeared at the door.

"Just get back!" Rita shouted sprinting away from the kitchen door.

"Rita-"

"Where's K9?" Sarah Jane asked. Rita sighed at the woman's persistence. She saw the Doctor ignore her question locking the door and turning to the companion.

"We need to run." Was all he said as he grabbed her hand and pulled her away from the door.

"Where is he?" She asked again talking about K9. "What have you done!" Sarah Jane asked again as the Doctor pulled her away running away from the kitchen door catching up with Rose and Rita then grabbing the brunette's hand with his free one helping her run faster.

The group found Mickey with the students out side of the school the Doctor let go off Sarah Jane and Rita's hands, moments after finding them the schools kitchen made a loud explosion signalling K9 had shot the barrels and successfully killed the Krillitane.

"Yes!" Kenny jumped up and down throwing a fist into the air. Rita slowly walked over to Sarah Jane seeing the woman who looked heart broken. "He had no choice. The Doctor didn't want it to end like that, I know he had no other way." She placed a hand on the woman's shoulder. She was looking down at the ground breathing deeply. The children started to chant Kenny's name over and over. Rita sighed patting Sarah Janes shoulder.

"I'm sorry." The Doctor cautiously walked over to the pair seeing Sarah Jane in distress.

"It's all right." She sadly smiled looking up at the Doctor then looked over at Rita the same. "He was just a daft metal dog." Rita knew this wasn't true and slowly retreated back giving the woman and the Doctor some space. "It's fine, really."

Only seconds after her comment Sarah Jane she began to cry, the Doctor tried to comfort the woman wrapping an arm around her shoulder Rita smiled sadly over to them Sarah Jane too upset about the loss of K9 didn't notice the brunette, however, the TimeLord did and sadly smiled back. 

  ----------------------------------------------------------------  

"About in the classroom" Rita mumbled while the Doctor leant on the console in the TARDIS he crossed his arms and watched her begin to explain, "I honestly don't know what happened"

"It's fine, I'm not worried about that" he admitted. "What I'm wondering is how it did that and how you managed to almost crack that thing."

Rita sighed looking down away from the Doctor she mumbled "I also knew the answer"

"The answer?" he questioned.

"To your question. Fifty-nine times thirty-five. It's two thousand and sixty-five, and that definitely wasn't foreknowledge. It's like the longer I'm here the smarter I'm getting, no that sounds stupid, right Doctor?" She looked up at him, his expression unreadable. "Doctor?" She questioned again just as Rose and Mickey walked into the TARDIS.

"Rita, you always were smart and I still don't know how you got onto that Dalek ship but that theory definitely is not stupid, I'll keep looking, soon we will understand what happened."

"Okay" she nodded. "Thank you, Sarah Jane will most likely be here in a minute, go ask her if she wants a cup of tea" she grinned the Doctor nodded his head then walked outside. He then appeared a moment later followed by Sarah Jane.

"You've redecorated." Sarah Jane grinned looking around the TARDIS console room.

"Do you like it?" The Doctor asked her walking over and standing next to Rita.

"Oh, I, I do." She smiled lightly moving her hand over the console, the TARDIS hummed in response. "Yeah. I preferred it as it was, but, er, yeah. It'll do."

"I love it" Rose smiled warmly at the woman. Rita also smiled glad the two companions were now on 'good terms'

"This one is my favourite" Rita looked around smiling.

"Hey, you" Sarah Jane looked over at Rose. "What's forty-seven times three hundred and sixty-nine?"

 _'Seventeen thousand three hundred and forty-three'_ Rita blinked. The Doctor noticed confused face and lightly squeezed the brunette's hand. She looked up at him and sighed. Whatever it was wasn't going to just go away.

"No idea." Rose shrugged. "It's gone now. The oil's faded."

"But you're still clever." Sarah Jane smiled. "More than a match for him." She looked over at Rita. "Both of you"  
  


"You too Sarah Jane" Rita let go of the Doctors hand and walked over to her and Rose.

"Er, " the Doctor scratched the back of his head starting to move around the console. "About to head off, but you could come with us." He offered.

"No." She shook her head lightly trying not to hurt the Doctors feelings. "I can't do this anymore. Besides, I've got a much bigger adventure ahead. Time I stopped waiting for you and found a life of my own."

"Can I come?" Mickey spoke up. Sarah Jane looked over at him in horror. He then explained further. "No, not with you, I mean with you." He looked over at the Doctor "Because I'm not the tin dog, and I want to see what's out there."

Sarah Jane saw the glint in Mickey's eyes and the mental groaning in the Doctors. "Oh, go on, Doctor." She encouraged. "Sarah Jane Smith, a Mickey Smith. You need a Smith on board."

"Okay then, I could do with a laugh." He agreed giving the man a chance.

"Rose, is that okay?" He asked Rose crossed her arms not looking at him biting her lip and speaking harshly  but quietly as she lied: "No, great. Why not?"

"Well, I'd better go." Sarah Jane saw the sudden tension and pulled Rose in for a hug.

"What do I do?" She asked Sarah Jane. "Do I stay with him?"

"Yes." She looked at the blonde. "Some things are worth getting your heart broken for." Her gaze looked over at Rita who was now talking to the Doctor. "Find me, if you need to, one day. Find me." Rose nodded and then let Sarah Jane go. Rita turned to her and walked over to the woman.

"I'll see you again soon Sarah Jane" she smiled. "Until then I'll miss you"

"You and me both Rita." She hugged the brunette then whispered into her ear. "Take care of him, both of them. I see that sparkle in your eye Rita Stone just be careful" she warned her face giving off a serious expression.

"Sparkle?" Rita frowned pulling away.

"Secrets" she grinned stealing the brunettes line.

"I see what you did there." She shook her head. "Goodbye, Sarah Jane."

"Goodbye, Rita Stone" She then exited the TARDIS, the Doctor following her outside.

"It's daft, but I haven't ever thanked you for that time. And like I said, I wouldn't have missed it for the world." Sarah Jane spoke to the Doctor over her shoulder as she walked out.

"Something to tell the grandkids." The Doctor smiled.

"Oh, I think it'll be someone else's grandkids now. " Sarah Jane smiled sadly.

"Right. Yes, sorry. I didn't get a chance to ask. You haven't?" He didn't know the right words to use scratching the back of his head is tried to find the correct words. "There hasn't been anyone? You know."

Sarah Jane laughed a little then joked. "Well, there was this one guy. I travelled with him for a while, but he was a tough act to follow. Goodbye, Doctor."

"Oh, it's not goodbye." He tilted his head a little.

"Do say it. Please. This time. Say it." He sighed.

"Goodbye, my Sarah Jane." He smiled then pulled her into a hug pulling her off of the floor. He then let go of her and walked inside.

"Doctor!" She shouted then repeated again even louder: "Doctor!"

"Hmm?" He popped his head out of the door confusion filling his face.

"Look after her" he frowned not knowing who she was talking about.

"Rita" Sarah Jane confirmed. "And Rose, look after both of them, I can see Rita needs it, her eyes remind me of you, lost and alone, no one should be alone Doctor, not even you." She smiled then turned away. The Doctor stood there for a moment a little shocked and confused.

"I will," he finally replied giving a small nod. "Both of them, I'll keep them safe" he watched her walk away then mumbled quietly giving out a sigh.

"As safe as I can"


	13. The Girl in the Fireplace

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It feels like it’s been forever! I felt like no one was really reading it over here on tumblr/ao3 so I just stopped uploading… If you were reading/is reading this fic a sign would be amazing, I don’t want to stop if people are enjoying it. :)

The Doctor paced around the console, Rita sat in the jumpseat cross-legged with her eyes fixed on the Doctor, they had been to many amazing planets, between when she had met Sarah Jane Smith and now what excited her, even more, was that those adventures were never 'episodes' back in 'her world'.

Rita was excited for another adventure like she normally was now. It had been exactly Two months since the four had the encounter with the Krillitane, the Doctor was still confused about what was happening to his brunette companion, this scared him a little. Over the past two months he had grown to enjoy the company of the brunette, he could tell Rose was enjoying having a new close friend her age as well.

They dropped Mickey off home to 'pack' really the Doctor just wanted a few more adventures with Rose and Rita before Rick- Mickey joined them.

"Right then" The Doctor looked at the brunette and then at Rose who was standing next to her. "Where shall we go next?" He raised a brow at them both.

"Maybe we should go get Mickey?" Rose suggested. "We did lie to him and say that we were only going to be waiting in the TARDIS."

"I didn't think you wanted him to come?" The Doctor crossed his arms and leant against the console opposite to the girls.

"We did promise him" she ignored his question.

"Doctor she's right" Rita backed the blonde up. "Poor Mickey thinks he's just a tin dog," she added.

"Oh all right" He sighed moving away from the console.

"Try to get around a few hours  _after_  we left." Rita rolled her eyes. "I know what you did to Rose's mum. Poor woman, you deserved that slap." The Doctor shot her a playful glare in her direction.

"I was close" He defended himself turning dials on the console. "Twelve months is close to Twelve hours" he protested.

Rose burst out laughing Rita also then started to laugh as well speaking in between her fits of laughter. "For a Time traveller, you can't tell the big difference between twelve  _hours_  and twelve  _months_."

"Can we just go and pick up your boyfriend Rose" the Doctor groaned.

"Oh, now you want to pick him up" She laughed again.

\----------------------------------------------------------------

"I did say for you to try and get the dates correct" Rita patted the Doctors shoulder, them both slowly walking in the TARDIS with Rose and Mickey bickering behind them.

"It was my idea to actually come back for you!" She grumbled.

"Two months!" He shouted. "Two months I waited, I didn't think you were actually coming back"

"I told him to make sure it was only a few hours" Rita pointed out speaking over her shoulder.

"For someone so smart you don't know when to be quiet" the Doctor whispered into her ear.

"I could say the same for you" she whispered back grinning.

"Well you're here now aren't you!" Rose shouted at Mickey then crossed her arms and walked away from the console and into the hall obviously heading for her room.

"Great she hates me now" he dragged himself over then plopped him body down onto the jump seat. Rita whimpered a little seeing her seat she had grown to become attached to be stolen away from her.

"You'll get it back soon" the Doctor promised.

"I better or someone's going to loose a hand, and this time it won't grow back," she said cheekily grinning up at him. "I'm going to go and sleep" she then stated yawning a little. "You two" she pointed to Mickey meaning for him and Rose "Sort it out before I wake up"

"Yes ma'am" He rolled his eyes and gave a salute to her before she headed off.

"She's trouble" the Doctor chuckled shaking his head.

"I know that kind of laugh" Mickey crossed his arms narrowing his eyes at the Doctor. "What are you to her"

"No," he said coldly turning away shutting himself off. "I made that mistake once already, that isn't going to happen again"

"Mistake?" Mickey raised a brow.

He continued to look away from Mickey. "I'm a TimeLord, 900 years old Mickey, she's human and no I don't." He spoke harshly with no emotion just like his eyes currently looked starting into the ground. "I'm going to the library," he began to walk off then pointed at Mickey. "Don't touch anything."

"Yes boss" Mickey nodded.

\----------------------------------------------------------------

"So where are we off to now then?" Rita asked cross-legged on the jump seat watching the Doctor mess around with the console, Mickey and Rose were both still asleep and thankfully now on 'good terms' after Rose explained it was actually the Doctors idea for leaving Mickey.

Rita had to threaten the Doctor to tell Mickey that the blonde was telling the truth since he didn't believe her, it was either telling the truth or the Doctor hand being cut off. He knew she wouldn't really but her face said otherwise.

"Where do you want to go?" He looked up at her and paused what he was doing. "You haven't picked anywhere yet have you?"

She thought for a moment then tilted her head. "I guess not. I honestly don't mind where we go anywhere is exciting with a new adventure" The Doctor grinned at her answer. "But if you're going to ask" she tapped her chin and looked up for emphasis while she thought. "How about around three thousand years into Rose and Mickey's future two and a half galaxies away from Earth." She grinned mischievously.

"That's oddly specific." He frowned while grinning.

"Secrets" she tapped her nose then jumped out of the seat uncrossing her legs. "Why do they sleep for so long" she threw her head back and groaned.

"Welcome to my world" the Doctor chuckled shaking his head. "Your fault for sleeping earlier, though."

"I didn't want to put up with any more arguing when you had to put up with two people you care about arguing over someone you also care about it annoys you a little" the Doctor smiled a little at her comment. "What?" She frowned a little noticing his expression.

"Nothing" he shook his head changing the expression on his face to one that was blank.

"Hello" Rose stretched out yawning a little in a new pair of clothes.

"Finally your up" Rita bounced around the console like a small overly excited puppy.

"Someones itching for an adventure" Mickey scratched his head walking into the room and over to the console.

"Being stuck in here with you both sleeping is boring. I don't know how he does it" she pointed her thumb in the Doctors direction then heard a low groaning from around the four in the TARDIS. "Your not boring" Rita patted the console. "Those two are"

"Well, we didn't sleep earlier. We had to sort it out before you chopped his hand off" Mickey protested.

"Enough arguing" Rita groaned again.

"I agree with Rita, let's go" he pulled down a lever then grabbed onto part of the console as it jerked him and the three humans in a direction. Rita managed to regain her balance, helped Rose with hers then jumped into the jump seat (very ironic name since Rita jumped into it a lot) and held on tight.

\----------------------------------------------------------------

    
"It's a spaceship. Brilliant!" Mickey exclaimed following Rose out of the TARDIS after the Doctor and Rita. "I got a spaceship on my first go."

"Let's hope it's not Dalek" Rita joked. Rose and Mickey stared at the brunette in horror. "It's not Dalek" she reassured them shaking her head.

Rose began to walk around exploring the area they were in. "It looks kind of abandoned. Anyone on board?"

"Nah, nothing here." The Doctor backtracked a little "well, nothing dangerous. Well, not that dangerous." Rita shook her head chuckling. "You know what, I'll just have a quick scan, in case there's anything dangerous."

"With you the smallest of things can be dangerous" Rita grinned.

"That's only the bits in between" he winked smirking a little.

"So I'm told" she raised her brows at him. "Best go get that scan done Doctor"

"So, what's the date?" Rose asked. "How far we gone?"

"About three thousand years into your future, give or take." The Doctor walked around a bit explaining to them both knowing Rita already knew all this information. He then found a switch and flicked it triggering the light to turn on.

He walked over to a small window and looked out smiling. "Fifty-first century. Diagmar Cluster, you're a long way from home, Mickey. Two and a half galaxies."

"Mickey Smith, meet the universe." Rose chuckled as they both looked out of  small port hole like window. "See anything you like?"

"It's so realistic!"

"Tell me about it" Rita laughed. "Thought those two were in a dream when I first saw them."

"Dear me," the Doctor walked over to what looked like a table. He began to pick stuff up and move around. "had some cowboys in here. Got a ton of repair work going on."

"Could make a show out of that" Rita chuckled lightly. "Cowboy builders, in space." She waved her hands above hers and the Doctors face as if she could imagine the show's title. "There's a show back home like that, obviously not in space" she scratched the back of her head the Doctor grinning at her like the Cheshire cat. "Not that grin again" he then frowned.

"What's wrong with my grin?" He asked sounding offended.

"Nothing's wrong with it" she couldn't help but smile. "It's when you do it for too long it starts to creep me out"

"I'll do it more often then" he winked then looked over at what look a little bit like a computer but Rita knew very well that it definitely wouldn't have the latest windows update.

"Now that's odd. Look at that." He frowned pointing to the 'not computer'. "All the warp engines are going. Full capacity. There's enough power running through this ship to punch a hole in the universe, but we're not moving. So where's all that power going?" He asked obviously rhetorically and over to Rita since Rose possibly wouldn't know and Mickey definitely would not have a clue.

Rose looked around then frowned in wonder "Where'd all the crew go? "

"Good question." He pointed out nodding then looking at the 'not computer' "No life readings on board."

"Well, we're in deep space." Rose frowned "They didn't just nip out for a quick fag."

"No, I've checked all the smoking pods." He said sounding serious, not understanding her sarcasm. "Can you smell that?" He asked the three.

"Yeah, someone's cooking." Rita shivered knowing it was quite literally. The Doctor noticed this and stepped a little closer to the brunette.

"Sunday roast, definitely." Mickey guessed sniffing the air.

The Doctor used the 'not computer' to open a door behind the four which revealed a beautiful fireplace with a blazing fire.

"Well, there's something you don't see in your average spaceship."

"Says the one who has a ship disguised as a 1950's wooden police box with a swimming pool inside" she raised her eyebrows at him smirking slightly.

"Fair enough" he nodded not arguing due to knowing that she wouldn't back down, plus she was right. "But this is Eighteenth century. French. Nice mantle. Not a hologram. It's not even a reproduction. This actually is an eighteenth-century French fireplace. Double sided. There's another room through there."

Rose looked out of a porthole in the same wall of the fireplace. "There can't be. That's the outer hull of the ship. Look."

The Doctor knelt down beside the fireplace ignoring Rose. Rita copied him. "Hello." He waved smiling warmly.

"Hello." A young girl Rita knew as Reinette crouched down on the other side of the fireplace the flame flickering between the Doctor, Rita and Reinette.

"What's your name?" The Doctor asked looking behind the girl trying to figure out where she was.

"Reinette." She replied.

"Reinette," he said in thought. "That's a lovely name. Can you tell me where you are at the moment, Reinette?" He asked. The girl frowned as if the question was stupid and the answer was obvious.

"In my bedroom."

"And where's your bedroom?" Reinette frowned even more when asked this question. "Where do you live, Reinette?"

"Paris, of course."

"Paris, right!" He opened his mouth in an 'o' shape. Rita looked at him then rolled her eyes.

"Monsieur, Madam, what are you doing in my fireplace?" She now questioned them.

"Oh," he thought if some excuse to use. "It's just a routine fire check. Can you tell me what year it is?"

"Of course I can." She smiled. "Seventeen hundred and twenty-seven."

"Right, lovely. One of my favourites." Rita lightly elbowed him and whispered into his ear "She probably thinks you're mad"

"And two people watching a girl in a fireplace in her bedroom isn't mad?" He raised a brow at her in question.

"Good point" she rolled her eyes not wanting to further question.

"As I was saying. August is rubbish, though. Stay indoors. Okay, that's all for now. Thanks for your help. Hope you enjoy the rest of the fire. Night, night." He waved.

"Goodnight Monsieur. Goodnight Madam." Reinette said as the two stood up. Mickey frowned in confusion.

"You said this was the fifty-first century."

"I also said this ship was generating enough power to punch a hole in the universe." The Doctor pointed out. "I think we just found the hole. Must be a spatio-temporal hyperlink."

"What's that?" Mickey slightly tilted his head.

"No idea." He shrugged then told the truth. "Just made it up. Didn't want to say magic door."

"I think 'magic door' sounds better" Rita tilted her head to the left smirking a little.

"And on the other side of the magic door is France in 1727?" Rose asked for confirmation.

"Well, she was speaking French. Right period French, too." The Doctor told them.

"She was speaking English, I heard her." Mickey protested.

"That's the TARDIS," Rose explain to him. "Translates for you."

"Even French?" Mickey asked.

"Yeah"

"Why wouldn't it?" Rita asked.

"Gotcha!" Said the Doctor pulling a lever causing the fireplace to start to spin.

"Oh no, you don't!" Rita shouted jumping on the Doctors back. The two spun around on the fireplace while Rose shouted both their names.

When the fireplace stops Rita jumps off his back. "God you're heavy" he mumbled quietly earning a playful slap on his arm by the brunette. "That's for trying to get away and for saying I was heavy"

"You didn't have to come" he whispered walking over to the window and moving the curtain to see outside that it was around midnight and snowing lightly outside. The pair spun around to see the young girl Reinette sitting up in her bed with s very paced breathing and a shocked and scared expression.

"It's okay." The Doctor placed out an arm towards her. "Don't scream. It's just us. It's the fireplace people." He spoke slowly and calmly not to scare the young girl. "Look. We were talking just a moment ago. We were in your fireplace." The Doctor reaches into his brown coat pocket slowly not taking his eyes of the young girl who was now a lot calmer than before. He took out the sonic screwdriver and pointed it at a candle then lightened it.

"Monsieur, that was weeks ago." She paused. "That was months."  
"Really?" He looked at Rita who nodded at him backing the girl up. "Oh. Must be a loose connection. Need to get a man in."

"You are a man" Rita rolled her eyes

"Who are you two?" She looked between the Doctor and Rita then asked them another question. "And what are you doing here?"

The Doctor noticed Rita staring at the broken clock on the mantle of the fireplace.

"Okay, that's scary." He said reaching out to Rita's hand beside him and placing his hand in hers.

"You're scared of a broken clock?" Reinette tilted her head ever so slightly due to being confused.

"Just a bit scared, yeah. Just a little tiny bit." He walked over to the clock pulling Rita with him. "Because, you see, if this clock's broken, and it's the only clock in the room, then what's that?" He put his hand not holding the brunettes in the air signalling for Rita and Reinette to listen closely and of course they could hear a ticking that sounded like a normal clock, however, Rita knew fully well that this wasn't a normal clock like you would have on the wall in your kitchen.

"Because you see, that's not a clock. Rita stays right there, whatever happens, do not move" he let go of her hand and slowly walked away from her towards Reinette who was sitting on her bed. "You can tell by the resonance. Too big. Six feet, I'd say. The size of a man."

"What is it?" Reinette asked her voice shaking a little.

"Reinette don't be scared the Doctor won't let anything hurt you" Rita tried to reassure the girl.

"Now, let's think." He turned to Rita standing still not moving. "If you were a thing that ticked and you were hiding in someone's bedroom, the first thing you do, break the clock. No one notices the sound of one clock ticking, but two? You might start to wonder if you're really alone."

Rita nodded in agreement understanding what he was saying. He then turned to Reinette. "Stay on the bed. Right in the middle. Don't put your hands or feet over the edge."

The Doctor slowly crouched down and rested his head hovering just above the cold floor. He waved the sonic screwdriver under the bed to scan and light it up. The screwdriver was forcefully knocked out of his hand.

Slowly the Doctor started to get up. "Rita" he spoke in a whisper. "Stay there." He told her again even though she had no plans of ignoring his request the first time.

After poking his head up he noticed the clockwork droid behind the girl. "Reinette" he whispered. "Don't look round." He then turned his gaze towards the droid again directing his words to it.

"You, stay exactly where you are." The Doctor moved forward towards Reinette and placed his hands on her head looking deeply into her eyes trying to figure out what the droid wanted with her. "Hold still, let me look."

The Doctor pulled away a moment later looking at the droid. "You've been scanning her brain. What, you've crossed two galaxies and thousands of years just to scan a child's brain? What could there be in a little girl's mind worth blowing a hole in the universe?" He asked narrowing his eyes at the droid. Reinette then turned round facing the droid.

"I don't understand." She spoke honestly scared and confused. "It wants me?" She looked at the Doctor then turned back to the droid. "You want me?"

The droid then spoke for the first time snapping its head towards Reinette making the noise of a machine moving as it did so. "Not yet. You are incomplete."

"Incomplete?" The Doctor repeated. "What's that mean, incomplete?" He waited for the droid to answer. "You can answer her, you can answer me. What do you mean, incomplete?"

"Doctor" Rita warned him. The droid walked round Reinettes bed standing before the TimeLord a blade shooting out of its hand. Rita pulled the Doctor away just before the blade touched him.

"I told you to stay there," he said through gritted teeth not meaning to be as angry "I'm not letting you become a shish kebab" she gritted her teeth back. The Doctor then looked at her in a way making her feel slightly guilty. "Sorry" she muttered.

"Madam, Monsieur, be careful." Rita could sense the terror in Reinette's voice.

"Just a nightmare, Reinette, don't worry about it. Everyone has nightmares." The droid went to attack the Doctor neck again. Once again Rita pulled him away. "Thanks" he looked at Rita then at the droid. "Even monsters from under the bed have nightmares, don't you, monster?"

Rita noticed that they were both pressed up against the fireplace, the Doctor standing between her and the droid. She also noticed that the blade was now stuck in the beautiful mantle.

"What do monsters have nightmares about?" Reinette asked.

"Me!" The Doctor flicked the lever again and then leant into Rita who gave a squeak at the sudden contact and movement of the fireplace as it spun round back to the ship.

"Doctor, Rita!" Rose shouted to them both seeing the Droid stuck in the fireplace. The Doctor jumped off the fireplace freeing Rita who moved back. He then grabbed the fire extinguisher and sprayed it over the droid which then froze in place.

"Excellent. Ice gun."

"Fire extinguisher." The Doctor threw it over to Rose who then caught it.

"You okay?" He walked over to Rita placing a hand on her arm.

"Yeah I'm fine, you?"

"I'm always okay" he grinned at her.

"Where did that thing come from?" Rose interrupted gesturing over to the frozen Droid.

"Here."

"So why is it dressed like that?" Mickey asked.

"Field trip to France. Some kind of basic camouflage protocol. Nice needlework, shame about the face." The Doctor complimented it then removed the face to reveal the clockwork beneath. His eyes grew larger and shone at the sight. "Oh, you are beautiful! No, really, you are. You're gorgeous!" Rita rolled her eyes but did have to admit that the clockwork did look amazing considering it would have most likely killed her after the Doctor.

"Look at that. Space age clockwork, I love it." He pointed showing Rita and the others then showed the brunette his arm. "I've got chills!" she giggled lightly at his comment. The Doctor then turned to the droid "Listen, seriously, I mean this from the heart, and, by the way, count those," he pointed to his chest. "It would be a crime, it would be an act of vandalism to disassemble you. But that won't stop me." The droid then beamed away obviously not liking the idea of being taken a part which was quite ironic considering what it had done to the ships crew.

"Short range teleport. Can't have got far. Could still be on board."

"What is it?" Rose asked.

"Rita?" the Doctor looked over to her.

"Hmm?"

"You coming?" he asked. Rita remembered what happened now and honestly didn't want to witness  Madame de Pompadour shove her tongue down the Doctors throat. Not that she had an issue with it at all he could have whoever's tongue he wanted down his throat but Rita did not want to witness that in real life let alone think about it.

"Erm." She scratched the side of her head. "I'll stay here with Rose and Mickey."

"Is someone scared" he mocked her grinning.

"What?! No!" She shouted and narrowed her eyes in protest.

"Well come on then" He stood next to the fireplace waiting.

"No Doctor I'm going to stay- here!" she shouted the last word in a high-pitched shriek due to the Doctor pulling her onto the fireplace then flicking the switch to spin the fireplace.

"I hate you sometimes" Rita muttered stepping away from the fireplace once it stopped. "Why did you make me come with you?" She groaned.

"You can help me figure out why they want Reinette, foreknowledge and all."

"Fine" she groaned. The Doctor called out the girls name and played a string on the harp. After the sound of the harp stopped there was a slight cough in the room like someone was clearing their throat.

"Oh. Hello." The Doctor rubbed the back of his neck. "Er, I was just looking for Reinette. This is still her room, isn't it?" he gestured to the room they were currently in "We've been away, not sure how long." Rita rolled her eyes finding it unbelievable how the Doctor could not piece two and two together.

There was a faint voice down the corridor calling for the now older Reinette not looking away from the Doctor called back and the Doctor now had a shocked look on his face. "Go to the carriage, Mother. I will join you there." She turned back to the Doctor and Rita who slowly was backing up close to the fireplace finding the way Reinette was looking at the Doctor a little uncomfortable. She never really was one to be around people when this sort of thing was going around, she never knew what to do. However, the Doctor being well the Doctor didn't notice her gaze at all.

"It is customary, I think, to have imaginary friends only during one's childhood. You both are to be congratulated on your persistence."

"Reinette!" He grinned. "Well. Goodness, how you've grown."

"And you do not appear to have aged a single day. That is tremendously impolite of you." She stepped a little closer to the Doctor.   
  


"Right, yes, sorry. Listen, lovely to catch up, but better be off, eh?" He noticed her slowly moving forward closer to him. "Don't want your mother finding you up here with strange people, do we?"

"Strange? How could you be a stranger to me? I've known you both since I was seven years old."

"Yeah, I suppose you have. We came the quick route."

She reached a hand up and touched his face, her eyes burning into his. Rita just stayed by the fireplace rocking on the heels of her shoes back and forth feeling very ignored. "You seem to be flesh and blood, at any rate, but this is absurd. Reason tells me you cannot be real."

"Oh, you never want to listen to reason" he chuckled.

"Mademoiselle! Your mother grows impatient." A male voice called from the hall Rita looked at the ground feeling uncomfortable with what was about to happen. 

She turned her head towards the door then shouted. " A moment! So many questions. So little time." Reinette then pulled the Doctor in for a kiss that was quite long, the pair stumbled back, almost hitting Rita who only just managed to get out the way, however, something was wrong the Doctor wasn't doing anything he was just frozen. He looked like he had frozen and Rita could swear that for a moment she saw him try to push her off.

Reinette pulled away seeing that the Doctor was not enjoying it and then ran off out of the room.

"Mademoiselle Poisson!" The same voice from earlier called out just as Reinette ran out, the voice then was joined with its body the man's eyes growing wide seeing Rita just standing there and the Doctor mouth open and wide-eyed.

"Poisson? Reinette Poisson?" He scoffed. "No! No, no, no, no, no way. Reinette Poisson? Later Madame Etoiles? Later still mistress of Louis the Fifteenth, uncrowned Queen of France? Actress, artist, musician, dancer, courtesan, fantastic gardener!" He spoke way too fast for the man to keep up. 

"Who the hell are you?!" He demanded looking at the Doctor

"I'm the Doctor, this is Rita by the way" he pointed at her who then waved. "And I almost snogged Madame de Pompadour. Ha, ha!" he flicked the switch and the two spun back around to the spaceship.

"Almost" Rita raised a brow.

The Doctor shrugged not replying. "I wasn't expecting it," he spoke cold and distant while he walked on not looking at the brunette who was slightly confused.

_'Somethings don't play out how they look.'_ She repeatedly told herself over and over in her mind thinking back to how she  _thought_  she saw the Doctor try and push Reinette away from him. The Doctor continued to walk not talking and Rita followed a little bothered by the silence since she knew this Doctors regeneration was most definitely not the quiet type.


End file.
